The First Snowfall During Winter
by xuanling9116
Summary: Slight AU/Time setting after few months Lindow was saved. Aurora was always the pillar of the 1st Unit in everyone's heart after Lindow. She was always cheerful and carefree to the point that her comrades believes that she had never suffered any tragic past at all, until there was an obvious change in her behavior lately. It was around then the others realize how wrong they are...
1. Peace Before The Storm

**This is the sequel of my previous piece, 'The Beginning'. Hope you guys enjoy reading my new work :) **

**Oh, and reviews from readers will makes me happy and motivates me to write more!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. Even so, please do not copy paste my fiction and claims it as your own.**

**Enjoy!**

_"W-wait!"_

"_What? Its winter season, having a snowfall is normal during winter; there is no need for you to freak out."_

"_C-could you stay here with me for a little longer?"_

"_No."_

_"Please... I'm... I'm scared of the snow..."_

_Just only for a little longer. He had silently told himself._

_"Only for a little longer, no more than that, got it?"_

_"More than enough!"_

_"Man, you are a handful."_

_He had complained, but he was actually kind of happy at the fact that he was being relied as a human, even though he knew it would be short lived._

_"Why are you so scared of snowing anyway?"_

_"Because... Bad things always seem to look for me every first snowfall during winter... So... I'm scared...''_

_"Do I look like a bad thing to you?"_

_"N-no! You are not a bad thing! You are a good person!"_

_Even though he hides it well, he knew better, the fact that he had never been this happy all those years._

_, "What about you?"_

"_Me?"_

"_Yes, you. Since you said you are travelling with your brothers, I assume that you are not from the Outer Ghetto."_

_He knew that she was hiding something, but didn't press the girl to tell the truth, since he has his own secret that he do not dare to share with the girl, because it will surely scare her away, and it will definitely break his heart._

"_Have you ever heard of the myth of 'The Red Thread of Fate'?"_

"_What about that?"_

"_Hmm… he told me that there was a deity who was in charge of 'the red thread', tying knots around the little fingers of those that are to meet each other regardless of time, place, or circumstances and help each other in a certain way. This magical thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break. It was tied in our souls for all eternity, which also means, even the both who are destined to meet had died, they will still able to meet each other in their next life, and it goes on and on. Isn't that amazing?"_

_He had heard many folklore that are made up by human themselves, he had never believe in a single one of them, because fairies and deities only exist in fairy tales, while the deadly Aragamis exist in reality._

_But for that moment, no one could fathom how much he had wished 'The Red Thread of Fate' exist._

"_And my brother told me that means that those who are tied with red thread can be friends in their every life!"_

"…_huh?"_

_Even though the girl happened to heard an altered version of the folklore, it doesn't really matter because the function of 'the red thread' was still there._

_"See! We are connected! This way, no matter how far apart we are from each other after this, we could still able to find our way back to each other in the future!"_

_He was surprised, eyeing the man-made 'red thread' that tied their little fingers together. How he hoped that he could meet the girl again in the future. _

"_You're so warm."_

"_No. You made me realize even a half-aragami like me could feel warm inside."_

_The words that the girl murmurs in her slumber had struck him hard, in a good way. Many years he had been called a cold blooded child of death, never once a person considered him a human at all. Hence, he wanted to be a 'normal' human for this short moment for this girl._

"_I'll bet on everything I have even my humanity and sanity to you, you damn curse! Keep your claws off this one!"_

_Even the both of them had only met for not more than an hour or two, this girl meant so much to him to the point that he refuses to give in to his own 'curse' that would cause misfortune upon those who gets too close to him like he usually did. He wants this girl to live._

"_My name is Soma Schicksal by the way, not that you are awake to hear this…"_

_It pains him to know that the girl will not know who he really is, she may forget about him once she wakes up from her sleep. Wanting the memory of their encounter would last in the girl's heart, he left his jacket with her._

_"Thank you, Gods Eater."_

_She knew. Even though it was just a small part, she somehow figured out who he was. He was hiding, but she knew he was there watching over her to keep her safe._

_"I'll keep your jacket with me_ _and return it to you until the day we meet again in the future, when it is when I had overcome the fear, let's enjoy the winter together. So as in return,_ _please keep this save for me."_

_She left her white ribbon on the snow matted ground, hoping that he would keep it after she left._

"_it's a promise."_

_Even without saying it face to face, they both knew each other's answer by heart._

"_It's a promise."_

_He had never wept this much in his thirteen years life._

_It was a silent promise._

_If their meet again one day, just as the folklore of 'The Red Thread', he swore he will never let the girl being separate from him ever again._

_If both of them could live until the day their path come cross again._

Slamming the door shut with a loud bang, Soma sighed heavily as the cold water sprinkled from the shower head soaking him from head to toes, washing off some steam from his head. He could hardly believe only eight months has passed after this many chaotic incidents had happened, which felt like years. Yet the encounter with that little girl who was afraid of the snow felt like it was just yesterday.

It has been quite a while since the girl last crossed his mind, especially during the time when Shio was still around, he had completely forgotten about the existence of the girl, his heart ache with guilt at the fact that he had actually subconsciously tend to replace the girl with Shio. And now that he thought of it, he realizes how wrong he was and how different the way he had felt for the two girls. Shio was like a little sibling to him that shares something in common with him, while that little girl… No one could replace that little girl who easily break through the barrier and stroll her way right into his heart five years ago. He could still remembered every single detail about what happened that day, the very day he had thought that it will last time he could be a normal human boy. Yet things changes for the better for the past few months, he still miss that little girl dearly nonetheless.

Does that girl still remember him, or alive even, he wondered. He couldn't help but flinched at the thought that the girl might had already long dead. Leaning his head heavily at the cold tiles, "We promised..." he whispered, stared blankly at the floor, watched as the water rush down into the drain pipe.

It was around then, the annoying loud whining and complaining of Shun cut through his thoughts, "I mean seriously, I would have already take down that fallen Chi-You myself if not for that 1st Unit's leader pushed me away and took all the glory for herself!" he ranted hastily, "Who did she think she is?!"

Soma growled at the empty accusation outside one of the single shower room he was using. This definitely had worsened his mood than he already had. He switches off the shower head to stop the water, hand reaching for his towel and clothes.

"From my perspective, you would have been zapped to death by now if not for the leader rushed towards you to safe your butt," Karel mocked, obviously not accepting Shun's lies as usual, although being an ambitious young man he is, Karel would still stick to the facts and truths, "You never change."

Not happy at the fact that his teammate not taking his side, he groaned with frustration, "You know what?! That missy should just f- Yikes!" both Shun and Karel jumped at the sudden loud slam of the door, shortly followed by footsteps inching closer and closer to the duo. Shun break into cold sweat as he could feel the familiar aura of promising death emitted by someone he knew capable of doing so. Karel gave a few nervous chuckles and patted firmly on Shun's trembling shoulder, adding despair during his gravest moment "I mourn for your idiocy," he then flee into one of the shower room after grabbing his towel before Shun could even exclaim for him to stay.

That traitor!

Shun swallowed nervously as he felt the presence of the strong Gods Eater towering over him from behind, he forced himself to turn around, and he immediately regretted doing so, he should've just flee into one of the shower room just like Karel did without even bother to look back. Standing behind him was INDEED Soma who has already in his usual attire except for his hoodie since the young man's hair was still dripping wet from shower. The look on Soma's face was way beyond pissed, no doubt that he had overheard Shun's complains of his Unit's leader, or maybe Soma was already in his foulest mood and Shun's loud mouth just have to make it worst. Even though his dislike towards Soma was well known through the Den, he was still darn scared of him.

"H-hey, S-S-Soma!" Shun made a forced smile and stuttered, cowering under Soma's intense angry glare, "D-didn't know you're here- I-I mean, what are you doing here anyway?" he mentally slapped himself at his choice of words. Oh how he wanted to just dig a hole and hide himself away from the Death in mortal flesh.

"In case you have forgotten, this is the Den's public bathroom, I come here to shower whenever the hell I want," Soma growled thorough his words, "What? You expect me to stay stink 'till the Aragami could locate me with one sniff during mission?"

The people from the 1st Unit would have burst in to laughter without a care by now at Soma's last statement; appreciating the little sense of humor he had in him since it was way better compared his complete self-isolate in the pass. But Shun was not among those who care enough to take notice of Soma's slight changes for the past few months.

"S-sure! Of course! You come to the public bathroom to shower, what am I thinking! Of course we all need to shower-" Shun shut his mouth instantly as Soma narrowed his eyes in annoyance and causing him to whimpered cowardly, "I-I-I'm so sorry Soma! I wouldn't bad mouth about your leader again! I admit that she saved me and I should be grateful instead of making a false story out of it! I swear to the deadliest Hannibal on earth that I won't do that again!"

"Don't you apologize to me," Soma snarled, making Shun's fear shot up sky high within half second, "It is my leader you should apologize to. Go train yourself harder so that the leader of mine wouldn't need to constantly worn out herself coming to your rescue."

"Y-y-yes Sir! I'llgoapologizetoherrightaway!" he finished his sentences with one breathes. Soma watched the young man barged out of the public bathroom with full speed as if he was chased down by ten Dyaus Pita. He clicked his tongue and start to dry his hair using his towel, "What a drag, why did the leader even bother risking herself to save some ungrateful swine like him anyway?" he muttered under his breath soon followed by a shrug. What did he expect, his both former and current leader seems to have a tendency of committing self-sacrifices, it won't be surprising to know if one day he heard a news about his leader braves into the desert full of Aragamis just to save a little dog. He snorted himself at the thought.

"Mornin' Soma!" the said young man glanced side way at his teammate as the teenage walk in with his usual cheerily mood. Soma only grunted in return.

"Geez, what a way to express your foul mood in the morning to your fellow teammate!" Kota exclaimed but smile still plastered on his face while Soma gave a small smirk. Ever since Shio's depart, Soma has decided he should at least open up a little to his other teammates instead of just towards his leader, who he held a silent respect to since the girl was bold enough to brave the death. When he had accidently blurted out his thought during a small conversations with her, that bundle of energy practically jump with joy and dragged him in to the group instead of just respecting his decision to sit out of everything alone like he usually did. Though the first attempt was disastrous (how disastrous? I'll just leave it up to your own imagination), he unexpectedly able to settle down and adapted the change of routine in few days. It was rather nice, he thought, not that he would voice it out loud to them. Even so, his teammates, or he would now dare to call, friends, seems to have read his mind, it was a nice change indeed. The most noticeable change was the two young men who constantly hating each other's guts has already gone into good terms and had patched things up.

"I do hope it was just my imagination, but your mood really do seems lot worse than usual," Kota said bluntly, splashed the cold water on his face and shivered at the coldness, he was wide awake now, "I heard loud bangs coming from here earlier, something happened?" he ask, wiping excess water out of his face.

"Nothing, it's just that someone from our unit being bad mouthed at," Soma merely replied, slung the towel over his shoulder after his hair was half dry, just a mere thought of a certain loud mouth really irritates the hell out of him.

"What? Really? Who- Oh..." Kota stopped as he had just remembered something, "Now that I think of it, I just saw Shun ran to the Veteran's floor with full speed, I had wondered why, now I see..." he hummed in realization, "Sucks to be that big talker, he should be thank our leader instead of being such a snob."

" Hn." Soma voiced in agreement and leaned at the basin beside the one Kota was currently using.

"Speaking of our leader," Kota's smile fade, replaced by a worried expression, "Don't you think that Aurora was being a bit off lately?" Soma frowned at Kota's words. How could he not notice? It was obvious that something was up and their leader refuses to speak a word about it. Ever since the start of this year's autumn, Aurora would suddenly off to missions alone without them, she just gave them her usual smile when they questioned her, refused to leak a single detail about her mission. If not, she would always gave a few replies which does not have anything to do with what they had asked, such as "Ah, that fierce kongou was abnormally large compared to the previous one we fought together" or " I think I should polish up my snipping skills starting now, that Sariel just can't stay still!" or even worst "Damn that Ouroboro and its tentacles!". While she was in the dining hall with them, she would suddenly space out to her own world, staring down her meal blankly instead of start eating until her heart content like she normally would.

There will be a time that their leader will be complete clueless and innocent about something that even a three years old would know, she was not a klutz like Kanon who constantly misfires her own teammates in ridiculously close rage, so they could trust their back to her even in the most deadly circumstances. Yet these days, she had actually scared the wits out of Kota and Alisa the day before yesterday when she suddenly ran herself into a random pole while they are walking their way back from mission. Both of them gasp in surprise, thought that her eye sight was affected by Sariel's poison, immediately asked whether is she alright, only to receive a reply that she was just day dreaming, which she usually don't during mission and it seems to happens awfully lot since two months ago. Eventually, they gave up on the attempt of getting answer out of their leader, hence starting to make a few guesses on their own at their leader's recent odd behavior.

"Since we are not from the same unit, therefore I couldn't tell much different about her changes in behavior," said Karel who had already done with his shower, walking pass the two without looking back, "But she does seemed acting a bit odd during yesterday's mission with me and Shun,"

Soma raised an eyebrow at that, "How so?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly, "She was not focus when we are fighting the fallen Chi-You, she seemed anxious and frustrated, frequently tear her gaze away from the Aragami to scan every corner of our surrounding, as if..." he opened the door and stopped at the near end of his sentence, trying to think of a better way to describe the anxiety he sensed from the 1st Unit's leader, "as if she was preparing for something much more dangerous."

Soma and Kota frowned as Karel left.

"Preparing for something much more dangerous?" Kota scratched his cheek, "But there isn't any strong type of Aragami being detected lately, and the Aragami has been decreasing drastically ever since the first few days of autumn... Huh?"

Ever since autumn?

And then, something clicked in their mind. Both of them exchanged glances, obviously came up with a same conclusion," So Aurora had been assign to an investigating mission to find out the reasons behind the Aragami's drastic decreases?" And that's it? "I couldn't believe it! I thought the search team was the one who do the investigating job! Why didn't she just tell us and let us help? Won't the search will be much easier if we work in a team instead of just one person?" Kota exclaimed hastily, not liking the way their leader shouldered everything on herself, "Did she even look at herself in the mirror lately? She looked exhausted!"

Soma couldn't agree more, but there was still something off about the mission. Usually, that old Doc Sakaki would give them hints even when he was forbidden to leak a word about the secret mission for the sake that they could immediately react for backup if something happens, same goes to Aurora. This time was different, they didn't mention a word, not even a hint, they acted as usual while silently implement something behind their facade.

"Tch, it better be just a normal investigate," Soma clicked his tongue, pushing himself away from the basin that he leaned at and exited the public bathroom with Kota followed behind. Kota folded his hands behind his head, slightly pursed his lips in a childish manner, "I'm sensing a deja vu here, and I don't like the feeling of it."

"Seconded."

They took the elevator, having a silent moment until the elevator have made it's stop at the rookie's floor, Kota walked out of the elevator and wave to the young man who was still remaining in the elevator with both had shove into his pockets, "Well then, we will meet up with the others at the entrance floor's lounge as usual, see ya!"

Soma only gave a brief wave in return before the elevator's door closed up and proceed to the veteran's floor. He faced down and stared at the tip of his shoes. Something is not right. He could sense it, his leader's anxiety. It was getting stronger as day passes. Why haven't she spoke a word to him? Aren't they a closer friend compare to the others? His eyebrows furrowed at the thought of it, " She practically made me blurt out my thought every time we talked, guess I'll just have to do the same."

The bell chimed as the elevator had reached the veteran's floor; he walked out and was taken aback at the sight of a person who he has not met for days. His leader was just standing up straight after reach down for her drink from the vending machine, with her black little wolf pup staying close beside her as usual. The little wolf was Aurora's pet- Or friend as she always correct them by stressing the word- may look cute, but you wouldn't say the same once you witness the harmless little bundle could transform into a large fierce wolf same size as a Dyaus Pita. The leader never once mentioned where she have found this weird species no matter how many times they asked, therefore they only know that the little wolf was already with her when she joined Fenrir. The little wolf was drop dead loyal to his mistress and followed her practically everywhere (surprisingly, he will just automatically wait outside of the public bathroom obediently and patiently even without his mistress's order), and would just bite on anyone who has a slightest intention to insult or harm her to matter how many time the girl told him not to, hence the main victim will always be Shun... But what actually bothers Soma the most was the lack of interest showed by old man Sakaki towards this weird being. Normally, the old doctor would leap in joy to experiment on such rare creature. Therefore, another uncertainty of the doctor has added into Soma's list.

"Hey."

The girl jolted in surprise and turned while the pup snapped his head towards the young man, "Oh, hi!" Soma frowned at her lack of energy, his gaze never leave her as the girl sat on the long bench looking rather tired, taking a sip of her drink from the opened can she was holding, "Leonard, come here," she patted on her thigh, gesturing the pup to hop on. Leonard don't need to be told twice and landed on her thighs with one leap and lay down comfortably on his mistress's lap, he gave out a small whine in bliss as his mistress gently stroke his soft black fur.

"So, how have you been," she smiled softly, dull black eyes gaze upon the sapphire ones.

"Better than you, physically." He shrugged and chooses a drink for himself from the vending machine.

"True." Aurora hummed, softly scratching the back of Leonard's fluffy ears. Picking up the canned drink after it dropped with a 'thud' from the vending machine, he sat beside his leader and opened the can by using a hand, taking a few sip of the artificial flavored liquid. He side glanced at his leader, waiting for her to start a conversation like she always would, but nothing came. He frowned as the young girl seems to have no intention to talk at all.

"Kota and Alisa was really worried, as well as the others." He started, set his drink beside him on the bench, crossing his arms around his chest, "What happened to all those endless energy of yours?" he said. But Aurora knows that he was asking something else from her.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I can't tell you a word about it for now," she said apologically, "I'm not ready to tell just yet, not now, same goes to Sakaki."

"So you two were up to something," Soma's eyes narrowed, not happy at the fact that the two are really doing something behind his back.

"It was nothing bad, I could assure you that, it was just a procedure to keep everyone away from the worse," she replied, although not completely, but honest at least, "This investigations… or you could say mission can be only done by me, Leonard and Sakaki, the three of us. It was something that you have never witness before, and dangerous as well."

His frown deepened, gritting his teeth, "Even this pup of yours could help, then why can't I be any help at all? Are we this vulnerable to these mysterious being that you are investigating at?"

She gave him a bitter smile, "I'm not trying to insult or doubt your ability and strength, Soma. You are indeed strong as a Gods Eater, there was no doubt of it, but this matter is really out of your hand." She leaves no space for argument in this, "This time. Only this once I have to face the outcome without you guy, I promise, no more secrets after this, I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not now,"

She sighed as the young man did not looked convinced, "I never once break a promise, please trust me."

His heart sank at the tone of her voice; it was not every day that you would hear the girl sound so distant and sad. She was always happy and carefree like she never has anything in the past to hold her back down in misery.

No matter how resentful he was right now, he still have to respect his leader's decision, he slump his back against the wall, anger evident on his face, "How high is the risk?"

"I don't know."

"When will the mission ends?"

"I really don't know, Soma." She was tired, really really exhausted, and the season wasn't helping either, "I just hoped, everything can be settled before the first snow falls."

First snow falls? Soma eyes widen at her last sentence. Why did it sounded familiar?

_"Why are you so scared of snowing anyway?"_

_"Because... Bad things always seem to look for me every first snowfall during winter... So... I'm scared...''_

He immediately shook the thoughts away. The leader can't be that girl five years ago; they look completely different except they both have long brown hair, which was a common hair color.

"Soma…"

"What?"

"Could… we stop the conversation here? I really don't want to talk about it right now. But as promised, I will tell you once it was over." She was no longer looking at him, her hand continuously stroking the little wolf's black fur.

Soma gave his leader a one last look, and stood up abruptly, stomped towards his own room, leaving her sitting alone with the pup on her lap.

Leonard raised his head, whimpered at the sad look that was on his mistress's face, stood up and crawled onto her shoulder, nuzzled his small fur head on her cheek trying to cheer her up.

Aurora gave a small smile and caress her friend's soft ears, "I…really like it here, in the Den with everyone," she leaned back on the wall and stared up to the white ceiling, "In order able to continue staying with everyone here, I must have to brave my past."


	2. The Warning

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. Even so, please do not copy paste my fiction and claims it as your own.**

**Warning: SomaXOc, angst**

**Enjoy!**

"It'll take me a few days to fix your Buster Blade," Licca said as she inspected the visible crack on Soma's white God Arc, taking notes on the other area that are needed to be fix as well, "Which means no missions for you for the time being, I'll inform Tsubaki about it later."

"Like I have a choice," Soma grunted and shoved his hands into his pockets, switches his gaze to the God Arc that was placed beside his. It was Aurora's Katana. The body of the blade had been clean from the blood of yesterday's fallen Chi-You, well-polished and stood with elegant beside Soma's Evil One. He had never took a close look at his leader's God Arc before, but when he did right now, he could strongly felt the Katana emitting the strong aura of dignity and pride, which does not match the girl's daily temperament. He was surprised.

"Amazing isn't it?" Licca smiled after noticed what Soma has been looking at, she put away her folders and stood beside Soma, stared at the long blade with admiration and awe, "I was taken aback and worried of Aurora's choice when she asked me change the blade of her God Arc into a Katana form on her first day as a Gods Eater," she closed her eyes and recalled how she thought she was about to have a heart attack upon hearing the former rookie's request, " Katana was actually a very risky blade to wield for long term due to its disadvantage against strong armors with its long and thin blade, no one had ever dared to use one because in fear of losing their lives in the battlefield if the blade suddenly breaks. I tried to persuade her to make a different choice, but she strongly insists that she will have even higher rate of surviving if she was able to wield something lighter and not as heavy as Buster Blade, I have no other options after hearing her reasoning and gave in, forged a Katana for her."

Licca stroked the surface of the blade with her hand wearing a special made glove to prevent herself from being devoured, " The structure of the Katana was only that simple compare to others," she continued as Soma listened attentively, eyes never leave the blade, "Her first impression to me was so strong that I began to worried for her when she was being dispatched to her first solo mission after becoming a God Eater for only a month. I was kind of hoping that she would just walk in again and ask to reforge a different blade, but that never happened," her eyes was full of esteem, remembered the day the owner of this God Arc came back from her very first solo mission, "She came back safely, with her God Arc in hand not even a single crack or tattered even she faced the Borg Camlann which was well known for its strong shield and armor. She had brought the supposedly one of the weakest blade up to a whole new level. I had never thought there was a person who was able bring out the full potential of the simple blade to this extend."

"I never knew," Soma merely replied. Sure, he and Aurora had gone to numerous missions together for months, but he had never actually paid much attention of what weapon she was using since they constantly knock down the Aragami without much trouble, " Can't believe that she cut through the Aragami's strong armors by using this with ease all the time…"

"It was hard for me to believe as well even now," Licca chuckled and moved away from Aurora's God Arc and reached for her folders, "Speaking of Aurora, how was she? She has been working like crazy since two months ago, I'm starting to worried."

"Why don't just go ask her yourself," Soma clicked his tongue, the conversations with his leader this morning still made his anger boiling from the inside out.

"Ah, let me guess, you snapped at her again," Licca sighed, giving him a disapproving look," That's not very nice."

Soma decided to ignore the girl at once and turn his heels heading towards the exist, before he close the door of the God Arc storage room, he heard Licca's said loudly from behind, "Try to stop her from overworking herself, won't want a second 'Soma' roaming around the Den now won't we?"

He knew that she didn't meant it in a bad way. After all, he himself did gave the people in the Den a massive headache with his ways of doing things before Aurora joined Fenrir, and that girl right now somehow repeated his actions like he did in the past. Of course they would be worried...

"Shut up." He shut the door after leaving these two words behind.

* * *

What the hell? Soma's gaze fixed at the scene in front of him.

"Leader! Your hair is so pretty and silky!" Alisa squealed in delight as she runs her fingers through Aurora's long and healthy brown lock, loving the silk-like sensation in her hands.

"Uh...Thanks?" was Aurora's only reply whilst watching the black pup on her laps playing a few strand of her hair that slung over her shoulder and Kota merely grinned as he always did from his seat. Her hair was not tied in a long braid like she usually did.

"Aren't you supposed to be having your rest in your room right now?" Soma interjected, and sat down on his favorite spot on the couch. He was expected to only seeing Alisa and Kota in the lounge today since the conversation between him and Aurora did not go well this morning, also he had thought the girl would prefer huddle herself up in her own room since she said she was exhausted.

"Ah, well, it has been awhile since I last spend time with you guys like this, and I felt guilty for making you all worried," she said, stopping Leonard before he got his front paw tangled with her hair, "So I thought it'll be great to stop by the lounge, and then Alisa suddenly ran up to me out of the blue wanting to play with my hair..."

"What's the point of keeping your hair this long and beautiful if you don't play with it once in a while?" Alisa exclaimed, "It's a shame that you always tied it in an old fashioned long braid! Do you know how many women out there would kill to have your hair?!"

"Err..." Aurora was in trouble to reply Alisa's words, there is no way stopping the Russian girl when it comes with fashions and sense, "The reason I keep my hair long is not because of fashion manner... It's just because it was the only part of myself that I'm proud of..."

"Why?" Kota asked curiously. Truth to be told, Aurora was not a big beauty like Sakuya or attractive like Alisa, she's just...slightly above average. Kota thought that she doesn't need to feel self-abash of her appearance because she still looked pleasant to the eyes.

Aurora jolted as she realized that she had said the last part out loud and quickly denied him, "It's nothing, don't mind." She gave Kota a smile and turns her gaze back to the little wolf that sat on her lap, staring up at her with his pair of ocean blue orbs. She gently stroke on Leonard's soft head and seem lost in her own thought.

Soma was lost in his own world as well as he fixed his eyes on her brown lock. He remembered that little girl also has a lock of healthy long hair just like Aurora, even the shade of the brown are the same. He had been thinking of her awfully lot lately, could it be because the winter is nearing? Soma closed his eyes and lightly shook his head, he has to pull himself back together. Suddenly, a weird sensation that he couldn't lay a finger to washes through his every veins, it doesn't feel dangerous, but it is definitely nothing good. He forced his eyes open and immediately caught a glimpse when Alisa and Kota exchanged a silent glance and nodded quietly to each other, Soma's eyes widen as he promptly realized what they are up to next.

"Don't!" Soma shouted, but it was too late as the fingertip of Alisa's right hand came in contact with Aurora's, whilst Aurora jolted in surprise by Soma's sudden outburst. Her look was blank, soon replaced by an appalled expression when she felt the familiar pulses of sensation shot down to her spine... resonance.

To Aurora and Alisa, the resonance felt like hours long when it felt like only a second to the others who was staring them. Overwhelming memories force their way into Alisa's mind, her pupil dilated, breaks into cold sweats; her breathing became short and irregular, mouth ajar only to give out a silent scream...

_ Blood... Blood everywhere... Matted on the pure white snow... Tainted the purest white into crimson sin..._

"N-no... I..." Alisa forced her voice out from her throat.

_ "Your existence make me sick! It sicken me to see you born with a same face as me!"_

_ You, who gave me flesh and bones, screamed in jealousy and forced me to the heating stove..._

_ It burns... It hurts so bad... Make it stop..._

"S-stop... Stop it! Stop it! It hurts!" Alisa brace her head in trembling mess, while the others had yet not recovered from the shock at the sight of her sudden breakdown, stunned, don't know what to do.

_ "You are born to die! Make yourself useful for that sole purpose!"_

_ It's so cold... So cold... I couldn't feel my limbs anymore... How much longer do I have to act as a lure? How much longer...do I have to suffer for the sake of other fortunate children... Who did not as much showing a slightest gratitude of what I had done to save them..._

"_What are you waiting for?! Get out there before those things get us! You ugly and filthy child!"_

_ Blood… Crimson blood splattered everywhere… I can't tell the different if it was mine or theirs any more… Only crimson and white…_

"M-make... Make it stop! I don't want to see anymore more! Make it stop! Make it stop!" Alisa screamed franticly, her face showed pure terror at Aurora's memory, tears that gathers at the corners of her eyes are on the verge break free from their confine.

_ What did I do to deserve this pain? Make it stop... Why does it have to be you, of all people, betray me? I trusted you..._

_ "You are a life that is not meant to exist in this world; I'll end your life here."_

_ You said after you cut down one of the two man I treasured more than anything in the world… _

_ Your merciless blade that used to protect me from harms sliced me… It is as cold as the snow… I see more blood… soaking into the thick snow…_

_ Why did you hurt me? It hurts so bad, the scar you left on me hurts so bad it, it hurts as much as the scar that woman left on me, it burns like flame of hell!_

_ "I see, never thought you actually persist to live in this forsaken world this much, very well then,"_

_ Why did you betray my trust? Every single one of you... I hate... I hate everyone so, so much... What did I do wrong? It hurts... Make it stop!_

_ "Starting from this day onwards, you are dead to me. Run, run away from my sight, as fast as your tattered body could carry you, never let me find you, or else I would kill you again until you are truly dead,"_

_ Why did you do this to me? Where was that man I thought I could trust had gone?_

_ "Or you could do it another way around, if your heart are clouded by hatred. Then YOU be the one hunt me down and put my life to its end, but are you dare enough to do so? Do you dare enough to stain your hands with human blood to sate your hatred? Or live with it even?"_

_ Your taunting voice haunted me... Every day, every minute, every second... Even in my sleep... I hate you..._

_ "Hunt me, or I hunt you, the next time our blades clashes, you will find the truth,"_

_ I hate everyone..._

_ I Hate You!_

"MAKE IT STOP!" Alisa let out her last scream, snapping everyone out of their trance as Aurora emotionlessly force shut their Resonance. Alisa was sobbing furiously, giving Aurora a frighten stare, tears flowing down non-stop from her eyes, she embraced herself in self protecting manner.

"That was not very nice, Alisa, looking into someone else's memories without permission." She spoke slowly, Alisa hitched, while took a sharp breathe at the coldness of their leader's voice. For an instant, she was like a total different person, her eyes no longer held kindness or innocent that they used to, instead, filled with coldness and distrust. No one dared to move, except for one…

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Soma marched forward and grabbed her shoulders, shook her roughly attempted to snap her out of it, "It's not like you at all!"

"Not like me at all, you say?" she smirked and smacked his hands away from her, narrowed her eyes at the platinum blonde, "So you think that you know me, how naïve." Her eyes and her words pierced him right through his soul, leaving Soma speechless for seconds. He couldn't believe it, how could the innocent and carefree girl they deemed knew turn into this? As much as he hated to admits… Her sudden change scares him…

Soma gritted his teeth and growled, about to retort his leader but only to be interrupted by Aurora's sudden hiss in pain and the sight of Leonard's surprise conduct. He bites his mistress on her hand. Soma witness the changes in her eyes as she turn her head to her faithful companion, it changes from cold, disbelieve and then everything drain into confusion, "L-Leonard? What did I just…"

"I heard screams coming from here, what happened?" Aurora switch her gaze to the source of the voice, and found Kanon rushed besides the frightened girl who was currently in Kota's embrace as the teenage trying hard to calm the girl.

Leonard released her hand and licks her wounded hand apologically, but his mistress paid no heed to him at the moment, she pressed a hand on her forehead, looked utterly confused and lost, "I… I just…" she averts her gaze away from the trio and met with Soma's questioning look. She opened her mouth, trying to explain herself, but no words are able to form from her mouth as she was as lost as them herself as well.

"I… I didn't… I'm sorry." She stood up in an instant, gave up on giving any explanations. Aurora pushed the tall young man aside and rushed into the elevator with Leonard soon followed behind with a few barks. The 1st Unit leader was out of the sight once the door of the elevator shut close. As the source of the stress left the spot, Alisa finally collapse and fainted limply in Kota's arms.

"What on earth just happened?" Kota could only frown.

Soma stood on his ground, staring down at the rough floor with his hands clenched into fists, "Screw it all, I had had enough of this!" He turn on his heel fumingly towards his next destination, ignoring Kota's exclaim from the back.

He wants an answer, and he wants it now.

* * *

"I see," Dr Sakaki hummed with a frown on his, seeming deep in thought after Soma told him about the incident of the Resonance. Sensing Soma's patience running out like a ticking bomb, he immediately turn his attention back to the young man who was giving him the 'I'm waiting' look.

"Soma, I would like to ask you to... Just leave her be for the time being."

"What?" the platinum blonde's eyes widen in disbelieve.

Dr Sakaki slightly leaned forward and placed his chin on the back his hands, "It was just a symptom of short-term emotional disorder, she was obviously stressed up with all those questioning and pressing on the details from her action lately and eventually cause a backfire on her emotions, especially by using Resonance while she's in her restless state."

Soma narrowed his eyes dangerously at the doctor who was in front of him, "Judging by Alisa's sudden breakdown after the Resonance, I highly doubt that it's just an emotional disorder," he slammed both of his hands hard on Dr Sakaki's desk, "Was it because of the secret mission you assigned her? I don't care what it is, let me handle the mission instead, she is changing into a different person!" Just what kind of mission he had assigned could change her from a kind girl into a cold stranger? Soma still unable to shake off the image of his leader's cold and hateful gaze, it made his heart frozen.

"Maybe, but it was not completely because of the mission, Soma," unfazed by Soma's rudeness, Dr Sakaki sighed and placed his hands on the table, staring straight into the platinum blonde's eyes for a few good second before he asked," Before tell you anything further,I'm rather curious on-"

"Stop trying to change the subject!" Soma interjected rudely, but it doesn't stop Dr Sakaki from continuing his words, "-how much do you know about 'Aurora'?"

"What are you-?"

"Should've known that you know nothing."

"What's your poi-?"

"Aurora Haruno, female, age of 16, born in Outer Ghetto, Area E28, living in a rather loving family of three soon to be four before joining Fenrir to become a God Eater, no family conflicts, never once suffered a traumatic past, and of course became a succesful leader of the Assault Unit in Fenrir Far East Branch," Dr Sakaki punch a few letter on the keyboard and read out Aurora's biography from the computer screen, "So tell me Soma, how could it be possible for a girl who raised by a good family to possess such intense negative memories to the point that it breaks Alisa while Resonnance? Have you ever given a thought of it?"

Soma went silent. The old man did have a point.

_ "So you think that you know me, how naive."_

Her voice was as cold as winter ice, so cold that it felt so wrong in many ways...

"I knew a lot about her Soma, lot more than anyone in this whole Den," Dr Sakaki said, "But I promised her not to say a word to anyone until she is willing to open up and tell what was going on."

"Since when an old fox like you know promises?!" Soma snarled furiously, he was angry, angry that he's unable to get the answer he want.

"Let just say that I owe her this much," Dr Sakaki merely replied.

This is getting nowhere! Soma growled, "Screw it all, I'm leaving!" he turned and reach for the door, but Dr Sakaki stopped him, "If you want to know the answer so badly, go visit her family. Once you are there to see with your own eyes, you're already half way to the truth."

"What about another half?" Soma asked, hand holding the door knob, not even bother to face the director.

"You might have to wait for her to spill the bean then."

Soma was not entirely pleased, but at least he has a pointer, "Area E28, right?"

"Yes." Dr Sakaki nodded.

Soma 'tch'-ed and exited from the director's office, leaving the doctor behind without another word.

Once the young man was out of his sight, Dr Sakaki slumped back on his chair in an uncharacteristic manner, revealing another side of him that he never showed to the others...There was guilt with a hint of depress showing on his face.

He opened the drawer that was placed under his desk and took out a frame from the wooden drawer. He sighed, brushed his thumb across the surface of the frame as he looked at the content with sadness. It was a worn out picture of a family of four, parents and a pair of siblings.

All four person in the picture were wearing traditional Japanese attire. The parents looked strict and religious, especially the man of the house who shares a remarkable resemblance as his son, except for his hair was neater and without spectacles; standing beside the stern man was the younger Paylor Sakaki, who was carrying his younger sister in his arms with a small smile on grace on his face. The little sister of his inherited their mother's beauty and grace, the only difference between them was his little sister were still an innocent child, complete oblivious of the increasing monsters wondering across the world...

"I...never thought that you would turn into a heartless and cruel woman, Hatsumi..." Dr Sakaki murmured, and gently placed the picture frame on the desk. He leaned back and stared aimlessly at the ceiling, "Just do whatever you can to save that poor child, Soma..."

* * *

Kota could only stare helplessly at his teammate that are currently laying on the bed in the sickbay, just like the time when she first collapse due unable to cope with her own traumatic past. She would suddenly breaks into cold sweats and crying non-stop, trembling furiously in fear, her naturally fare complexion turned unhealthily pale which could possibly rivals a ghost. But what made him worried the most was Alisa's constant mumbles and plea in her unconscious state.

Instead of weakly calling out for 'mommy' or 'daddy', she had mumbled things that he was sure have nothing to do with Alisa's past, like 'it's cold', 'it hurts so bad', 'make it stop', 'why did you betray me' and even 'I hated every single one of you'. She would just repeat and repeat them like a mantra, almost to the point that it scares him. Just what on earth did Alisa saw in Aurora's memories?

"Kota," Kanon came into the sickbay and break the silence; "Tsubaki would like to see you right away."

"A mission during the time like this? Seriously?" Kota exclaimed, and turned his worried gaze back at the unconscious girl who still mumbling the same words.

Noticed Kota's worries and dilemma, Kanon gave Kota a gentle smile with assurance, "Don't you worry about Alisa, I'll keep watch while you are away for mission."

"Ah, actually..." Kota scratched the back of his head, "I'm much more concern about Aurora..."

"Huh?"

"Oh no no! Don't get me wrong, Aurora is an awesome friend and leader that everyone would die for, I like her as a great friend!" Kota flailing his arms up and down when he explains, in fear the pink haired girl misunderstood what he meant, "It's just that...now I realized how little we actually know about her... "He dropped his hands, felt dejected.

Kanon faced down, obviously sadden by Aurora's action this morning as well, she pulled a chair over and sat beside Kota, listen attentively at what the teenage was going to say.

"Our leader... Aurora was always so kind, so helpful, and accept us the way we are no matter what decisions me made or mistakes we had done," Kota started, staring at his knees, remembered the last time when he decided to leave his teammates behind and approve the Aegis Project, in the end, his leader still welcome him back to the team sincerely and successfully put an end to the Aegis Project, "She was always there when we needed help the most, understanding us and aid us, yet we did nothing in return. We know nothing about her life before she became God Eater; we thought there's no need to, because she always looked so...so happy, no sad past at all... Until this morning..." Kota shuddered in remembrance of Aurora's cold glance and tone she uses, "We all took her kindess for granted."

"I know," Kanon agreed sadly, "We had never tried to understand her at all."

Kota later stood up and leave the sickbay quietly, leaving Kanon to keep Alisa company. And Alisa's mumbles and sobs continued to echo in the sickbay.

* * *

**So what will Soma finds at Area E28? What is the relation between Dr Sakaki and Aurora?**

**Stay tune for the next chapter!**

**Reviews makes me happy :) **


	3. Dangerous Assaults

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It was already late noon of the day, and Kanon thought that she should go grab herself some lunch before continue to look after the unconscious girl.

"I'll be back real quick," Kanon said softly to Alisa and made her way out of the sickbay, strolled her way to the cafeteria, fail to notice a slender figure soundlessly slipped into the sickbay just a second before she step into the elevator.

"It hurts... It hurts so bad... Make it stop...''

The figure stared at the unconscious girl with guilt evident on her face.

"I'm sorry..." whispered the girl softly, her voice was different from usual, "I didn't mean to scare you with my forgotten memories." she sighed as she watch the poor girl sobbing and trembling helplessly at the aftermath of the resonance, "But thanks to you, I'm able to regain some of the important parts of my memories before the incoming assaults."

"Snow... Blood everywhere... It's so cold... Make it stop..."

"It'll be best if you forget about everything you saw for now. "Gently wiped the tears away from the girl's face with her thumb, she placed her hand on top of the girl's forehead, softly hummed a heart soothing lullaby, and everything was slowly surrounded by a warm glowing light…

* * *

Soma stood in front of a house with a frown, double checked the number plate that was hung beside the door. This is it. He was only a step away from the truth. All he needs to do now is to knock.

He took a deep breath and raised his right hand to give the door three solid knocks before shoving it back into his pocket. Not long after, a pregnant woman who was in her late 30's came open the door, surprise evident on her face as she did not expect an unfamiliar guest would appear in front of her doorstep.

"Aurora's mother?" Soma asked as polite as he could, but still ended up sounding grumpy.

"Yes, I am. Is there anything you need?" Mrs. Haruno smiled friendly at the young man before her. Soma slightly frown at that, this woman doesn't look abusive at all. This certainly did not explain Aurora's negative behavior.

"I'm Soma Schicksal, God Eater from Fenrir." Soma briefly introduced himself, but the woman's face was already pale as white as soon as the mention of 'Fenrir', her eyes fixed on the blood red armlet that securely attach around the young man's wrist, swallowed nervously, she asked," I-I see... Did my daughter cause any trouble during work?" the way she said the word 'daughter' sounds so awkward and uncertain.

"No, she hasn't caused any fatal trouble just yet," Soma replied, eyes narrowed in suspicion at the woman's stuttering and sudden show of restlessness, "But there's something wrong with her lately so I thought you might know why..."

The woman flinched and unable to give an immediate reply, she gave Soma a nervous smile as she tuck a strand of her hair behind her ears before she finally speaks," Ah, my apologize that I couldn't help much, she hasn't been-" before she could even finish her sentences, a happy voice of a girl inside the house interrupted her, soon followed by rapid footstep.

"Mom, is that her?''

Soma frowned at the familiar voice as glanced nervously at him and hurried a few steps into the house, obviously trying to hide something from the young God Eater, "N-no sweetie, it's not her," said and eagerly pushed the shorter person to the opposite direction of the door," And you shouldn't be standing right now, you'll feel sick again!"

"I'm feeling a lot better since this morning, mom, stop worrying too much," the source of the voice chirped and quickly skipped pass her mother before could even have a chance to stop her. Soma was stunned, but immediately growled at the person who appeared at the door.

The girl was Aurora.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the Den right now?" Soma growled," and since when on earth you're sick?!"

"H-huh?" the girl flinched at the harsh tone in respond, took a few steps backwards and stares at Soma with fearful eyes, at the same time, she looked utterly confused.

"Don't act innocent, what the heck are you doi-" Soma forcefully paused himself as he sense something really off about the girl. The Aurora he knew never once coward away from him no matter how rude or harsh he was. Soma took a quick look at the terrified girl from head a toes and his expression darken dangerously.

Her voice was slightly different compared to usual; her long brown hair looks unhealthy and it is in lighter shades; she looks so fragile that he was sure she will break if he accidently pushed her; and the most importantly, the bloody red armlet was nowhere in sight...

"What the hell is going on here?" he snarled, the girl flinched and whimpered, turns on her heels and ran into her mother's protective arms. was equally scared for her daughter, her eyes was full of plea as she begged," P-please, I beg you to leave my daughter alone!" her voice wavered, "I won't hand her over to Fenrir and have her fight those bloodthirsty monsters out there every day like a killing machine!"

Killing machine?

Soma clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. The way the woman describes the God Eaters irritates him, but he have keep his temper under control, he have to find out the truth, "If this girl is really your daughter, then who the hell is that girl I'm working with for the past eight months? Your daughter's long lost twins?"

"I-I don't know! I really don't know much about that girl! All I know was she appeared out of nowhere eight months ago claiming herself a traveler and asked for a few days shelter, she looks kind and well-mannered so we thought it won't hurt if it's just for a couple of days!" The woman explains franticly, hugging the weeping girl in her arms protectively," And it was around then a man from Fenrir came to our doorsteps and ordered my daughter to report herself to the Den as a New-Type God Eater within three days. But my daughter falls ill since years ago, she will absolutely fail and gave her life away during the aptitude test, so that girl offers to go in my daughter's stead after a disguise."

"In other word, you just let an innocent girl who you don't know for more than few days suffer for your daughter's sake?" Soma growled, words came out from his mouth like venoms," If she was unfortunately a non-competitor of your daughter's God Arc, it could've killed her!"

"I don't care!" screamed the woman, "If it's for the sake and the well-being of my family, then so be it! That girl even willingly volunteered herself to go, so why not take advantage of it?"

He was stunned by the woman's reply, and soon felt severely disturbed and disgusted by this family, he was on verge to snap again but the sudden abrupt of the loud alarm cut him off.

"**Red alert! The Den is currently under attack by unidentified intruders! All God Eaters please arm yourselves for the assault! I repeat, this is not a drill! All God Eaters please arm yourselves for the assault!"**

"Damn it!" Soma cursed under his breathes. Why does it have to happen right now?! He immediately dashed his way back to the Den as fast as his half-aragami body could, leaving the two mother and daughter continue to cry in front of their own doorstep.

_"Go visit Aurora's family; once you're there, you are already half way to the truth."_

Sakaki's words echoed in his mind.

Soma growled in annoyance with numerous questions swirling around his head. Aurora… no, she is no 'Aurora' anymore. That leader of his better prepares herself for the world longest questioning of her life after they are done with the intruders. He is not going to back down this time, whether she likes it or not!

* * *

"Phew, that was one long queue in the cafeteria..." Kanon sighed as she walks into the sickbay with a tray in her hands, but almost drop it when she saw the supposed unconscious girl sat up on the bed, staring the white wall with a confused look on her face.

"Alisa! Thank goodness you're awake!" Kanon exclaimed in relieve, promptly set her lunch aside and rushed towards the dazed girl," How are you feeling? Any nausea?"

"Kanon?" Alisa snapped out from her daze and turn her attention to the older girl,'' I'm as healthy as usual, but I'm kinda lost here, why am I laying in the sickbay? Aren't I supposed to be at the Entrance's lounge with the other?" Kanon was taken aback by her question, eyeing the girl with her widen eyes, "You...collapsed after the resonance with Aurora, don't you remember?"

"Resonance with leader?" Alisa looked at Kanon as if she have just grown a second head," I didn't recall anything such as having a Resonance with leader..." she paused for a few good moment and tilted her head, " Or did I?"

A weird sensation crept up onto Kanon's spine, she didn't know what it was made her felt this way, but it was certainly not a very good sign. She swiftly grabbed on Alisa's and gently shook her as she asked, "Aside from you remembers that you were hanging out with Kota's and the others, what else could you recall? Think hard."

Alisa do as Kanon told her to and slam her eyes shut trying hard to recall the incident this morning as much as possible, "I recalled playing with leader's hair and...Asked why she grew them out so long... She seems kinda dazed... Then suddenly..."

"Suddenly?" Kanon urged eagerly. Alisa is the one and only clue right now to explains Aurora's abnormal, she needs to know-scratch that, everyone belongs to the 1st Unit need to know at least something to get to know more about their leader.

"Suddenly the visions of my parents death came back to me again with full force," said Alisa with an honest face.

"Eh?" Kanon was stunned. How could this be? This girl has been mumbling things that have nothing to do with her own past at all for the past few hours during her unconsciousness, so how was it possible for her to breakdown on her own tragic past when she has already been discharged from her mental therapy months ago? And heck, none of those even has a slightest thing to do with Aurora! "Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Yea," Alisa nodded innocently and continued," The bad memories of how my parents being devoured by the aragami repeated again and again like there's no end to it, as if I'm going to stuck there forever to witness it over and over again until I die," she shivered, "Just when I thought I'm doomed, I heard a very beautiful voice cut through my nightmare and reached towards me, gently pulled me out from the sight of endless death," Alisa subconsciously placed her right hand on her forehead, she vaguely felt a gentle and warm hand wiped away her tears and sweat as tender as possible to lull her out from her misery.

"And when I opened my eyes, I found myself here in the sickbay." Alisa finished and turned her attention back to the dumbfounded girl, "Kanon?" the said girl immediately snapped herself out from her trance and tighten her grasps from Alisa's shoulders.

"The voice," Kanon urged yet again, there is great chance that someone had hypnothized the girl, "Do you recognize the owner of that voice?"

"No," Alisa shook her head with disappointment, "I didn't recall anyone in the Den possess such unique voice, unlike Sakuya or Tsubaki's mature voice though, it sounds so… so exquisite and alluring, like a siren…" no doubt many people would be enchanted by this kind of beautiful voice.

Just when Kanon wanted to speak again, a huge explosion cut her off abruptly soon followed by a red alert sent by Hibari from the entrance section.

"**Red alert! The Den is currently under attack by unidentified intruders! All God Eaters please arm yourselves for the assault! I repeat, this is not a drill! All God Eaters please arm yourselves for the assault!" **

* * *

"What the-" Tatsumi was taken aback by the sight of one the intruders could easily block down his God Arc using only a dagger and made him stumbled a few steps back with a forceful push. Tatsumi quickly regain his balance and tighten his grips on his God Arc, narrowed his eyes at the intruders in front of him. They are cloaked with black cloaks from head to toes, leaving only the lower half of their faces visible to the world.

"Who are you people? " Tatsumi demanded for an answer from them. He has to hold them back and stall some time until the other God Eaters retrieve their God Arc from the Storage Room.

The one who blocked Tatsumi's attack smirked and raised a hand high enough for the other intruder to see. As if they had received an order, the other intruders immediately dispersed towards different directions into the Den with incredible speed before the young Defense Unit leader could even stop them, "Stand right there!" shouted Tatsumi as he tried to grab one of the intruders who slipped pass him, which was hopeless. He felt a presence with condensed killing intent rushing towards his direction from above, caused him to give up on his chase and turn on his heel to block the thin yet sharp dagger before it was buried into his skull.

"Not bad for a cute guy like you," the leader of the intruders finally spoke, obviously a voice of a female," I would consider to spare your life if you date me," even though the black cloak had covered her upper face, the flirtatious grin on her lips still remain visible to Tatsumi, "Don't flatter yourself, I'm taken!" he smirked and swing his God Arc hard to force the intruder away from him, "And I bet that you are not even my type too."

The intruder did a back flip and landed on the ground on two legs without much trouble. She hummed skittishly, not really paid mind his rejection and chuckled," Ah, I guess it didn't work out between us, not that I mind though." she slightly bend her knees, preparing a stance to strike for a clean kill, "Then I'll just have to take your life."

Tatsumi was about to charge to attack as well, but the female intruder dashed with high speed, it was only a blink of an eye and the girl's dagger was already a few inches away before it reaches his throat, he quickly took a few step back and blocked the dagger again with his God Arc.

A sound of an object shattered echoed in his ears, Tatsumi's eyes widen as he witness the blade of his God Arc shattered into two pieces and slumped on the floor in an ungraceful manner to avoid the second strike in close call.

"What?!" Tatsumi stared at the shattered blade of his God Arc in disbelieve, in the same time relieved at the sight that the core was not damaged. This chick just shattered his God Arc with a small dagger!

"How disappointing," the intruder mocked, slowly inching closer to the young man, "To think that the legendary humankind's last hope, the God Eaters are this weak." Tatsumi carefully moved backwards while the other did the opposite, forcing him to the dead end like a predator toying with its meal.

"Sorry to disappoint you again then," Tatsumi grinned, holding his damaged God Arc close to his side. The shield are still intact with the core, he could still stall a little bit of time until the backups arrive, well... If they could reach to him in time, "I'm only a Defense Unit's leader; therefore I'm not the strongest in this branch."

Speaking of the strongest, where the hell is Soma and Aurora?!

Not long after, the intruder charged again, this time much quicker, the forming of the shield unable to keep up with the speed of the attacker. Tatsumi clenched his eyes shut preparing to meet his doom, but nothing came, only felt something sharp swift pass him from above and the sound of metals pinned onto something.

"You!" Snarled the intruder with rage. Tatsumi carefully open one of his eyes to sneak a peek on what was going on. The intruder was only two steps away from him, face facing the direction above him and gritted her teeth furiously. He noticed that there's a thin cut appeared on the intruder's left cheek, small trace of blood trickled down to her chin from the wound, his eyes widen in surprise as he found three small knives pinned on the ground between them, each one pinned closer than the others towards the intruder, so close on stabbing her left foot on the ground.

He turned his face upwards trying to get a look of his rescuer, but failed as the person backed away before he could even get a glimpse.

"You're not getting anywhere!" shouted the intruder in rage, chasing after the retreated figure, leaving Tatsumi behind to exhale in relieve. He then kneeled down to unplug the small knives from the ground, inspecting them with a frown. The small knives looked...old fashioned, somewhat similar to a kunai yet different. Who could these belongs to?

"Tatsumi!" exclaimed Brandon as he rushed out from the elevator with his God Arc along with other fellow teammates excluding Karel, Shun and Gina who was already on their move, "Are you alright?" he asked with worries for the well-being of his unit leader.

"Not good," said Tatsumi with a serious look, showing his damaged God Arc to the buster blade wielder," They are strong; there's no doubt of it. I'm no longer in the condition to engage into battle." Brandon and the others was taken aback by the sight of Tatsumi's broken God Arc, but Tatsumi didn't let them stay stunned for long, "I'm going to split the team into two group, five of you will follow me on a search outside the Den, there must be few more of the intruders still lingering around the residential area, we will have to fish them out," he motioned two blade wielders, three snipers and a medic from his team to follow him, he then turned to Brandon," You lead the rest, your top priority order is to defend the Non-God Eaters in the Den and immediately lead them away from combat areas as soon as possible!"

"Understood!" Brandon nodded firmly.

"We don't have much time to waste, everyone move!"

* * *

"Damn it! This is getting us nowhere!" Karel cursed as he fired train of bullets at his target, which was all being dodged by the cloaked intruder.

"They are moving too fast!" Shun shouted, blocking another intruder's quick attacks, leaving him no chance to strike back. Not forget to mention that the attacker's attack was also heavy, like someone using a hammer to slam on you, every blow stings! How could a person do that with a normal short blade?! Shun gradually felt his hands' muscles are going numb, almost losing his grips of his God Arc a few time.

Karel dodged and rolled to aside to evade the weapon which seems like a small trident sword, he wasn't able to perfectly dodge the attack as the trident left three long and deep scratches on the body of his God Arc rifle, "Holy crap!" Karel exclaimed, stared at the scratches on his weapon for a few good second in disbelief, and then switched his gaze toward the small tridents that his attacker was holding. Not even the sharp tail of Susano'o could do this much damage on his God Arc before!

"Shun, dodge! Don't use your God Arc to block any more of their attacks!" Karel shouted to his teammate.

"You said it like it was an easy task to do!" Shun shouted back. He didn't even have time enough time to take a step back before another attack crash on him, how on earth he could dodge in this kind of situation?! And then, a cracking sound made him suck in a cold breathe, fear shot up his spine as he witness a visible crack formed on his blade, "Shit!" if he don't do anything soon, his blade will break in another strike!

"This is the end." his attacker said with a deep voice, landing Shun a final blow.

"Shun!" shouted Karel after he dodged another attack of the trident wielder. Suddenly, a beam of laser flashed passed his eyes and accurately land a shot on the short blade of Shun's attacker, sending the weapon fly off from the wielder's hand.

"Don't just stand there, move! You're in my line of fire!" shouted Gina from a distance. Shun doesn't need to be told twice and took a few quick steps away from the intruder and let the sharp sniper do her job. Gina shot another laser directed to the intruder who was picking up his shot blade, but missed as the latter immediately did a flip after he picked up his weapon with one swipe. Gina clicked her tongue at the miss, and hurriedly firing few more bullets at the cloaked man, totally neglected her back, leaving herself a fatal opening for trident wielding intruder to strike.

Karel tried to shoot down the attacker behind Gina, only to found that his God Arc was not responding after received damage on the cartridge area, "Gina, behind you!"

"Wha-?!" Gina could only watch the sharp tips of the trident stabbing towards her. When the sharp edge was only one inch away from her forehead, the trident wielder was abruptly sent off flying sideway and slammed hard on the wall by a strong kick, making the short blade wielder momentary stunned on the ground. Gina's legs gave up on her after she realized that she was safe, she panted shallowly to calm herself, and blood trickled down from the light cut above her right eyebrow.

So close... Too close for her liking... She was never this close to death. If that person came a second later, she would've already met the Death in person now. She had never thought death would be this terrifying...

After saving Gina from her close death, the rescuer ran deeper into the Den disappeared from everyone's sight, that was when another intruder came running in, much to the three young God Eaters' grieves. They had only faced two opponents and now they are totally in disadvantage, adding one more only means that they are in deep shit.

"Don't just stand there you two idiots! After her!" The third intruder yelled at the other two in rage, wiping away the trail of blood that trickles from the wound on her left cheek and resume her chase. The other two seemed fear at the consequences of disobeying her, and immediately tailed along after the short blade wielder roughly helped trident wielder up from the ground.

Relieves washed over the three God Eaters with full force as the three attackers was out of sight, Karel break a small run towards Gina, gave firmly shook the girl's shoulder after he squat beside her, "Hey, are you alright?" the girl merely nodded her head. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the direction that her rescuer and the three intruders went.

"Man, I'm totally screwed!" Shun stared at the nasty crack on his blade and swallowed shakily. The numbness of his arms muscles fade, soon replaced by aching sensation. His whole muscle was screaming in pain and he could barely raise his arms. He is not in green condition to join the further combat.

"So do I." Said Karel, still holding his busted God Arc in his hand. Which leaves Gina is the only one here could still fight.

"By the way, did you guys just see that?" Shun suddenly asked.

Karel paused for a few second, and realized what his teammate was trying to imply, he nodded, "Yea."

Even though that person appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye, they are still able to get a glimpse their rescuer who lured the intruders away from them.

"Aurora..." Gina muttered.

* * *

**And here comes the cliffhanger!**

**Finally! Chapter 3 is here! Sorry for the late update.**

**College assignments hates me, and I'm supposed to be studying for my mid-term exam tomorrow.**

**But I decided to update the chapter today before everything getting even more hectic.**

**So, kindly leave a review on what you think of this chapter.**

**The more I know you are looking forward to the next chapter, the faster you could get to know more about the mysterious 'Aurora'...*grinning slyly***


	4. The Fallens

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. Even so, please do not copy paste my fiction and claims it as your own.**

**Warning: SomaXOc, slight gore**

**A special thanks to** **RavenGoesToHeaven, MUN, lunyan, KieyuuMizuumi and XAlluringShadowX for being kind and spend your time to leave reviews for the previous chapter, it makes me happy and I'm looking forward to know what you guys think about this chapter :)**

**Enough with the chit-chat, here is the long awaited 4****th**** Chapter of The First Snowfall During Winter!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"You are not going to escape us this time!" shouted the female intruder angrily as she tailed behind the escaping figure, aimed and tossed her dagger in attempt to struck down the girl but missed by few inches and stabbed into the wall when the First Unit's leader did a sharp turn to her right at the corner of her escaping route.

The dagger wielder growled and stomped her feet on the floor in frustrations, indignantly lash her anger at the other two intruders under her command as she roughly tug her dagger out from the wall, " Don't stop here you two worthless scums! If both of you are unable to capture her as I say, I'll further deform both of you just like how Koizumi did to her summon!"

The other two flinched at her threats, hastily nodded and continue to pursuit the escaping girl without talking back to their superior. On the other hand, the fleeing girl was currently in her upmost alert, eyed around her surrounding while running her way down the hallway to make sure that there's no victims for the intruders to threaten her with.

'Just a little further,' she silently told herself, turning her head side way to take a peek at the intruders with the corner of her eyes, only to found that they are now a hand length behind her, getting closer and closer. She narrowed her eyes at the two figures and used a normal shielded katana in her hand to smack away one of the hand of the intruders who are attempt to grab her. She make herself ran faster when she saw her destination was just few more steps ahead her, the training ground. It was the only place she could further combat these intruders for now without causing more damage in the Den and getting other vulnerable people accidently involved in the crossfire.

Once the three intruders, then followed by a few more were lured into the training ground, she shouted at the remaining young operator of the training room behind the bullet proof glass, "Seal the door! Now!"

"B-but Lieutenant Aurora, you'll end up stuck with them!" the young operator hesitated.

"I said do it and get out! It's not safe here!" she retorted.

The operator hesitated for a few second, and finally punched the red button that seals all the exits in the training ground. As the last door sealed shut, the operator shouted, "I'll go get help, please stay alive!" with that, the operator runs out of the operating room before the girl could even stop him for his intention gather more people here.

A sudden fit of laughter made the girl returns her attentions to the leader of the intruders, "What's so funny?" she asked.

"'Aurora', he say?" said the female intruder tauntingly, placing a hand on her hip while toying her dagger with the other, "I see the little Fenrir pups in this so-called Den still didn't have a slightest idea of who you really are. How funny that they blindly hunt down those mindless monsters out there and arrogantly claim that they have slayed Gods, while the real deal is actually standing before them all this time. " The female intruder mocked further, "Which was why, I don't understand, even after all these centuries…" her voice changed from chirpy into the tone of displease, "Why are you willing to sink yourself this low to aid these ungrateful fools who turns us in to **this!**" the female intruder yank away her black cloak with force, revealing her shoulder length black hair and a pair of crimson red eyes without a speck of white.

The brown haired girl could only stare, with sympathy and commiserate. She remembered this girl once have beautiful eyes in the shades of ambers, and hair with dark shades of luscious green forest… To witness someone one who once as close as she could call a sibling turned into this, it pains her. But…

"You can't fully blame humans for this, Hazuki. You, after all, broke the golden rule that we must comply as we set foot in this realm." Said the girl sternly, clutch tight on the hilt of her katana with her right hand while unsheathing the second katana with her left. The leader of the intruder, now known as Hazuki, gritted her teeth in irritation at the girl's reply, and charged towards the girl, "This is what I hate about you!" she exclaim in rage when her dagger clashes with the girl's katana, "You defend the humans who turn us into fallen!" every strikes starting to get heavier as she attacks brutally, "I don't care if it was Ogami and Yagami's order to capture you back alive! I'm ending your life here!" she raises her leg to kick the girl on her abdomen and use the chance when the girl was blocking to swing her dagger towards the girl's face.

The girl quickly took a step back to evade Hazuki's dagger, but the tip of the weapon has already done its damage by leaving a trail of graze on the girl's right cheek. Yet, the wound didn't bleed.

"Take off that mask of yours," Hazuki snarled, "Seeing you hiding behind a human's identity makes me sick!"

The girl sighed, traced the edge of her thin mask and peeled, revealing a delicate face that she have been hiding away from the world for the past eight months. She closed her black eyes and took a deep breath, regaining the sensation that she have been refuse to take notice for a long time, once she opens her eyes, her iris changed from dull black into brilliant shades of amethyst,

"That's more like it," Hazuki grinned maliciously, "Deity of Chastity, Sakaki."

* * *

"My bullets are useless against this guy!" Kanon face appalled at the huge figure before her inching closer and closer without much damage even after being continuously blasted by her mortar. The cloaked huge man is at least two times or more large than a full-grown man

"Kanon, go into the lab and see if Dr. Sakaki still in there!" Alisa switched her God Arc from gun form to blade form and charge towards the large cloaked figure while Kanon marched into Sakaki's laboratory. She jumped and swung her weapon towards the huge intruder, but the blade was effortlessly caught by the huge person with bare hand, Alisa have no time to make her next move and mentally brace for the impact as the large man threw her to aside using brutal strength. The impact of the crash to the wall was certainly unpleasant, Alisa's face twisted in pain when her back made an unfriendly contact with the wall, and she immediately felt the lower half of her body are paralyzed.

The intruder let out an animalistic scream and charged towards Alisa with fast speed, which should be impossible when you look at his huge form. Alisa switches the form of her God Arc again and shooting chains of bullets at the attacker, but none of them seems to have any effect on him at all just as Kanon said.

"Oh no!" Alisa's eyes widen when the huge palm of the man swung its way to her head front, she reacted and pull out her shield, praying that it will at least lower the damage that will be done on her. She gritted her teeth when the first blown lands on the shield, both of her hands are stunned and aching in pain, the man's strength is almost inhuman! Then came the second blow, she stared at her shield fearfully as it was starting to fall apart; cracks are forming around her shield, and the edge are heavily bended as well. "No way!" she exclaimed in disbelieve. Not even the Tomahawk Canons of Quadriga could dent her shield!

She tried to roll and dodge the third blow, but her legs have failed her as they are still not responding as she wished. To her surprise, a flash of gold light formed between her and the intruder, successfully deflected the large man's attack, making the man stumbled a few step back holding his burned hand, roared loudly in pain.

"Alisa!" Kanon came to her aid, kneeling beside her and have Alisa swallowed a recovery pill. Alisa could feel the Oracle Cell in her body are finally began to work their magic on repairing to damaged system of her lower part. "Kanon, did you...?" Alisa questioned the medic as she gestured at the glowing barrier that are formed before her, only to receive a negative reply from the pink haired girl, "No, it's not me, it's..." Kanon paused and glance at the director who was running towards them.

"Thank goodness I made it in time!" Paylor exclaim in relieve.

"Dr. Sakaki, what is going on here?" Alisa asked in confuse.

"Save all your questions for later, I need both of you out of here quickly," urged Paylor eagerly to the two girls, and eyed at the intruder warily, "I'll stall." he said and received both suspicious and disbelieve glances from the two girls.

"I can still fight!" Alisa said loudly.

"Stop wasting time and do as I say!" Paylor reply with a stern voice, making the two girls flinched, "You two won't stand a chance, they won't die from receiving damage from the God Arcs."

Alisa frowned, even though she now know that their weapons are useless against the intruder, but that doesn't mean that they would leave their director behind just to save themselves, "Then what makes you think that you could stand a chance? You are just a scientist!" Alisa continues to persuade Paylor to retreat with them, until Kanon pulls her up on her both legs and proceed to drag the struggling Russian girl to the escape.

"Kanon!" Alisa shouted in surprise, "What is wrong with you?! Our director is in danger!" she tried to pry off the medic's strong grip, but it was hopeless as she have yet completely recover from the damage that had done on her minutes ago. Kanon turned and give Alisa a firm gaze, "Alisa, if we stay here, we'll only get in Doctor Sakaki's way, we have to leave." She voice was stern, leaves no space for argument and continue to drag the injured girl to safety. Before they are completely out of sight, Kanon gave a last look at Paylor, and muttered softly to herself, "Everything seems to make sense now..."

The large intruder let out another animalistic growl and attempted to reach his good hand to capture the escaping girls, only find himself being violently repel by another layer of barrier. The intruder shouted in pain and frustration as he tore off the black cloak that he hides himself underneath. Paylor couldn't help but frowned at the appearance of the attacker before him...

The aside of having a large human figure and built, the intruder's appearance was severely deformed; nasty scars matted all over the visible rotten skin, some of them aren't healing with care, and other scars looks like they are added just recently; the face of the intruder would definitely give a normal people a scare of their life, it was not a face of a human, instead, it looks like a demon who undergoes a failure humanoid transformation; eyes that are redder than blood, fangs that are deadlier than the sharpest blade, fluid that constantly dripping out from the rift of the fatal teeth was deadly acidic as they left burning marks on the floor...

"And here I thought I dedicated to be a full fledge scientist for the rest of my life ever since God have forsaken us decades ago, never would've guess that I'd actually miss the feeling of using this forgotten ability again," Paylor said with a tone of reminiscence as his eyes focus at the deformed being, and silently ask with a sympathetic manner, "Just what on earth your owner did to you?"

"P...rie...st..." the deformed being growled out in pain and hoarse, as if talking was an agonizing task to do; he reached out his hand towards Paylor, "H...el...p...me..."

"I'm afraid that there's not much I could do for you," Paylor said sadly, "After all, my ability is not as divine as my no longer existed peers."

"ARGHHHH!" the intruder roared in despair and charged towards Paylor, forcing himself through the barriers regardless how the barriers painfully burning down his already rotten flesh, clear enough, his have already lost his mind...

Paylor cast another layer of barrier as the other breaks through one of them, there's nothing much he could do because he barely have any offensive skills strong enough to take down the deformed being, so he could only focus on defenses, hoping that exhaustions would quickly take over the mindless creature before him.

The large intruder kept bashing the offended layer of barrier, to the point of madness, he roared in furiousness, caring less on how exhaustions slowly taking toll on his tattered body, it was until, he felt another presence appeared. A dark, silk yet dangerous growl lingering around him, fear instantly overwhelm him, causing him to put his attack into a halt.

"You insolent fool," the voice continues, ignoring the fact that the attacker was already in trembling mess, "How dare you raise your filthy hands against my mistress's kin and friends."

The deformed being's breath was rag as he shakily turns his head towards the source of the voice, and did a sharp inhale when his bloody red eyes met the owner of the cold blue eyes who hide himself in the shaded corner.

"Y-you..re...su..po...sed...to be...perished...three years...ago,"

The blue eyes narrowed dangerously, gave a taunting scoff making the large creature flinched in fear, "I don't know what 'he' had told every single one of you at the lair, but…" a shadow lung forward, tackled down and choke the intruder's throat effortlessly made him struggle for air, "Tell him and everyone, especially that leader in that lair this, 'She will not be taint or break by the fallen likes of you.'" He released the intruder's rotten throat and stood a step away from him, glance coldly as the large being gasping greedily for air, "Get out of my sight before I change my mind and shred you in pieces!"

With that simple threat, the deformed figure scrambles up with difficulties, darkish smoke appears out of nowhere and gathered around the tattered form, making him disappeared once the smoke fades away.

Paylor sigh in relieve. It has been a long time since the last time he have use this…'gift'. He must be honest to himself the he was not totally confident that he would be able to withstand the attacks for long since his skills are all rusted. He shifts his attention towards the newcomer- no, not entirely new as the latter have been blissfully strolling around the Den beside his mistress by using a different form for the past eight months.

"Considering how my ancestors had described you, I'd be lying if I say that I'm not surprise by the fact that...you don't look like bloodthirsty being at all." Paylor said, because the being like 'them' isn't supposed to. The dark wolf merely scoffed at the doctor's words.

"I thought you loathed our kind," Paylor continued.

"I did," the wolf answered immediately without even consider lying, "A lot."

"Then why come to my aid? I bet not because she orders you to, since I'm very sure she is still oblivion of my relation to her-"

"She remembers now, everything," The wolf interjects sharply," And I did it with my own will. I indeed loathed your kind, for they who soiled her name decades ago. But I held no grudge against you," The black wolf turned his face aside, "After all, you are the only blood relative who actually willing to care for her in your own ways, regardless she is divine or not, unlike that disgraceful woman who have no idea that she who she was messing with," as if he had just tasted something bad, he scrunched his nose in disgust at the mention of 'that woman'. It does not need a rocket science to figure out, Paylor was fully aware of who was the one that the wolf distastes.

"It'll be bad if she finds out you are gone before she could even truly know you. For her to plunge herself into another despair is the last thing I need." Said the wolf before he takes his leave, probably rushing back to his mistress, leaving the doctor behind lost in thoughts.

* * *

Licca was being dropped on the floor after her attacker who was about to snap her neck was being assault. She rubbed her throat and coughed in discomfort, she use the wall as a support to help herself up, her eyes widen in horror when she saw the person who save her holding the God Arc that are supposed to be in repair, "Soma! Your God Arc is still not ready!"

"It's not like I have a choice right now!" Soma retorted, "Just shut up and get out of here! I don't need a distraction!" he charged towards the intruder, trying to stall enough time for Licca to make it to the exit. Licca bit her lower lip in frustration, fully aware that her presence will only be a burden to the young man, she gave a last glance around the storage room to make sure that all the ownerless God Arcs are securely locked away, once everything was set, she cautiously slip pass through the two person in combat and dash out of the room. The minute after Licca was out of sight, Soma gives his full attention to his enemy, "What business do you have with Fenrir?" he asked.

Instead of giving him the answer he wanted, the intruder burst into laughter. Soma frowned as the laughter gave away the gender of the intruder, "What the hell are you laughing about?!"

Her laughter died down, give a few last chuckles before she starts talking, "You God Eaters sure think highly of yourselves, waltz around the surface of on the earth killing those monsters and make yourselves believe that you have slayed gods," she snorted, and soon burst into another fit of laughter, "Oh please! You people actually refer those soulless, mutated monsters as gods? Aragami? They are not even halfway close! And here I wonder how you all will survive if you encounter the real 'Aragami'."

Sensing his patience draining out from him, he tightens his grip on the hilt of his God Arc, gritted his teeth in displease on how the intruder insults the God Eaters and indirectly insulted Shio as well.

"Ah, pardon my discourtesy," she waved her hand in perfunctory manner, and place a hand a side of her hip, "We have no business with weaklings, in fact, we are actually here to hunt for our...cute little kin and her stalwart who have been hiding in this little Den of yours for months."

"We have no kin of yours in the Den!" Soma snarled.

"I'm not even asking you to deny," The female chuckled, "Might as well let myself have some fun with you before I continue the search myself," she swung the chain whip in her hand, with good instinct and battle sense, Soma blocked them down. But as the faster the girl wields that thing, the harder for him to predict the next movement as the weapon was flexible, one wrong move and it could split your flesh open. He ducked down to evade the sharp edge of the chain whip, letting the small yet fatal weapon sweep past above his head by a skin breadth. The next second, he was force to dodge rolled to his left as the chain whip made its way to strike his mid-section after the first attempt failed.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue in annoyance, held up his God Arc to block another strike, wasting no time, he grabbed the chain whip with one hand and gave a strong tug. The intruder was caught off guard, clearly didn't expected someone would pull such stun, by the time she snap out of it, she was being dragged toward Soma's direction. In physical strength, Soma obviously has his advantage. Once the intruder was close enough, he sends a clean punch on the girl's abdomen, making the girl yelp in pain. With this heavy strike, Soma was sure this is enough to knock a girl out cold, or so he thought...

"Hehehe, not bad," her shoulder shook in laughter, both of her hands are now wrapping around the fist that had made a rough contact on her abdomen, squeezing it tight to the extent that Soma winced in pain, "But you can't be seriously thinking that I would be fighting fair," she grinned devilishly at Soma with her eyes gaze straight into his. This made Soma startled for a second, this girl's eyes was bloody red, showing not even a slightest white are shown, as if her eyes was bleeding from inside out; she maybe grinning right now, but he could not sense anything but hatred and anger...

Before he could pull himself back together, he instantly felt something as strong as a truck knocked him over from the side, sent him slamming hard on the ground. Soma groaned at the intense aching sensation that spread through his whole body, he might have a few broken ribs. He sent the giant that came out of nowhere a deadly glare, strange or not, he didn't even give a damn why that giant looks like a rotten piece of flesh. He was soon taken over by dizziness, he shook his head hard a few time in attempt of trying to clear out drowsiness, whilst he heard the girl shouting in anger, something about coming back like a coward without putting up a fight, soon followed by the cracking sound of the chain whip and disgusting noise of flesh being ripped open.

By the time he regains his sense, the giant was already groaning in pain whilst the girl straddled above him, with her face dangerously close to his, "Get off me!" He snap at her with pure disgust, and hissed in pain when the girl pressed her hand on the place where his broken ribs was, she blow into his mouth, the strong scent of sweet fragrance rush towards his nostril, makes him want to gag. Soma wanted turn his head away with detest, but he soon realize something was wrong, really wrong.

He couldn't move.

He felt as if he was being tied down by mass of heavy leads, he couldn't even lift a finger, and eventually, he lost the senses of his four limbs.

"This will do," satisfied with the current state, the girl hummed, "It's a shame to have to kill a man like you," she said as she trace his clothed chest with feather-like touch, ignoring Soma's struggling attempt to regain the senses of his limbs, "It won't be a bad idea to turn you into my shikigami," she said excitedly and pushed herself away from Soma, but not too far away as she was still straddling him. Weird characters and swirl patterns form around her right hand, expanding from her fingertips all the way to her elbow, radiating a dreadful sensation.

Shikigami?

Soma looked at her in confusion as he continues struggling to break free. The intruder's lips twitched into a cruel smile, raised her right hand and positioned it into a stabbing stance, "Prepare to suffer under me for all eternity," with that, she stabs her hand towards Soma's chest.

Soma's eyes widen at the hand that was going to penetrate into his chest and he has yet unable to free himself from the girl's bind. He gritted his teeth in frustration, preparing for the pain to come. But what happened next was unexpected either to both of them. Just when the girl's fingertips are about to pierce right into Soma's heart, a bright white layer of barrier with elegant symbols was formed between them. Unable to stop her own movement, her right hand made a direct contact with the protective surface. White sparks and flames emitted from the barrier, burning on the skin of the intruder without mercy. The girl tried to swallow back her scream, but no avail as the pain was too great to be endured.

As if the barrier have a will of its own, once deeming that the weird swirls and characters that snakes around her right hand are completely gone, it sent out a large pulse of force, in resulting the girl being send flying backwards and slammed hard against the nearby objects.

Soma watched the sparks of the barrier above him died down, and starting to make a graceful and soothing spin. His body tensed up as the white layer was inching closer and closer to him until it disperse itself into white glowing particles, seeping into Soma's skin. He gasp softly in surprise when a refreshing sensation rushes through his every veins; he no longer feel heavy and immobile, he felt lighter than he ever; his doesn't feel any more pain from his ribs, they have healed...

He grabbed his God Arc and stood up with a grunt, glanced at the severe burned arm of the motionless body in lost. Is she dead? He wondered, and turns his gaze to the other side of the room, where the deformed large figure lies. Frowned when he saw the nasty wounds on the rotten flesh have gotten worse. But what made him confused the most was where on earth that white light comes from did?

"I see she didn't leave you completely unarmed, be grateful," A deep voice resounds in the room. Soma's body tensed and did a quick turn to face the newcomer who leaps down from the second floor without making much noise. The newcomer have a spear as a weapon, and he was wearing the same black cloak as the intruders, but the only difference was the man covers his lower face with a black scarf, leaving nothing to expose to the world.

"Who are you people?" Soma growled in annoyance, and to get even more annoyed when the other ignore him and walk to the unconscious body.

Getting no reply from the latter, Soma decided to attack, charging toward the man who was about to squat down beside the unconscious girl. Much to his surprise, the man effortlessly blocked his Buster Blade with the thin body of his spear, and the latter gave a rough push, sending Soma stumble back a few steps.

"I have no intention on fighting you," The man jabbed his spear near the middle of Soma's chest, preventing his attempt on another useless attack, "So don't push your luck, kid." The man's voice was calm, "The amulet she gave you can only work once, and you have only survived out of sheer luck."

"What the hell are you babbling about?! What amulet?" The last string of his patience finally snapped. Why are these people keeping on ranting something he doesn't understand?

"You have been holding on something so powerful all this time, yet you are not aware," said the man, his voice held no emotions at all. He moves the tip of his spear away from the young man and pointed at his jacket, "It was in your pocket."

'_My pocket? There's nothing in my-' _Soma paused in his mid-thought as he remembered something. He reached a hand into the inner pocket of his jacket to fish out something that he has been keeping close to him for the past half-decade. It was the pure white silk ribbon that little girl left him before her departs.

"It was... glowing?" Soma stared in awe at the object on his palm. It glowed warmly with pulses, like human heartbeats, as if trying to comfort him; when the glowing died down, he felt an indescribable emotion bubbled up in his chest as the pure white ribbon turned old and yellowish white, tore and rips appeared on every inch of the ribbon, as though it have already served its purpose, it slowly turns into ashes...

"She is…" Soma was speechless, "You know her? Where is she?"

"Funny that you would ask," The man replied while inspecting the unconscious girl, "She was with you all this time."

"She left, with her brothers six years ago!" Soma barked, "I didn't even know whether she is dead or alive, let alone know where she is!"

"Hmph, I thought you would've figured out by now. I see you are not as sharp as you seem to be," the man scoffed.

Soma tried his best not to let his temper get the best of him and ignore the man's insults, waiting for the man to speak.

"That leader of yours who posed as 'Aurora'," The man continued, "Is the girl that gave you the amulet six years ago."

"What?" Soma felt as if someone had just punched him hard in his face. That girl… He missed so much for the half-decade has been strolling around him for the past eight months, and yet he didn't even have a clue…Why didn't she tell him?

"_We have no business with weaklings; in fact, we are actually here to hunt for our...cute little kin and her stalwart who have been hiding in this little Den of yours for months."_

Coldness shot up on his spine as the words of the intruder haunted in his mind. Before he realize, he was already running out from the God Arc Storage Room with his God Arc and search for his leader.

The man did not chase along, merely watch the young man disappeared out of his sight. A painful moan caught his attention, he quickly did a short chant and a long silver rope appeared from the thin air and tied itself around the female intruder to keep her immobile; he did the same to the deformed being who had just regained consciousness and was on an attempt to either attack or flee. The man faced the giant figure, and said with a stern voice, "Stay still, I'll deal with you later." The deformed figure flinched and stayed still, fearing the consequences of disobeying the man before him.

"You! Traitor!" the female shouted madly even when she was immobile and severely injured, "You fake yourself to be fallen!"

"Indeed." The man slightly pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing the a pair of sharp grey eyes without a single hint of redness, "I was never fallen, and never will, as long as the Deity of Chastity remains uncorrupted, I'll make sure nothing even dare to taint her."

The girl laughed hysterically as if the man have just lost his mind, "She **will** be corrupted! She almost did three years ago! It won't be difficult to even try! So what makes you think that her chastity will retain forever?!"

Unfazed by the girl's words, the man narrowed his eyes at her, "Considered how a simple amulet of hers could deal this much damage to you, I have absolutely nothing to worry about." He stood up and pulled his hood back up to cover his eyes, "I'll have to meet up with 'him' now. Stay here with your Shikigami; you are required to answer whatever she asks after this unwanted mess, even if you don't, I'll be there to make sure you did." He picks up his spear and disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving the girl to scream in frustration and pain…

* * *

**A/N:**

**I'm back and alive!**

**I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to update!**

**It has been a chaotic month in college, and I finally able to spend some time to complete this chapter… T_T **

**Soooooo, what do you think about this chapter?**

**Good? Bad? Or…**

**As for the next chapter, more secrets shall be revealed and two new OCs will make their appearance!**

**How will Soma and the others cope with the sudden expose toward something that they no longer believe in?**

**Review to find out more! /slap**


	5. Trust or No Trust

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. Even so, please do not copy paste my fiction and claims it as your own.**

**Warning: SomaXOc**

**A very special thanks to RavenGoesToHeaven, KieyuuMizuumi and jhellou for the lovely reviews, hope you guys will enjoy this chapter as well!**

**Long awaited Chapter 5 is finally here!**

**Everyone enjoy!**

* * *

How many intruders she has defeated? How many of them have lost their mind? She has already lost count of them... It was painful sight, when she caught a glimpse of their appearance under the black cloak... How long have they all been suffering during her absents? The girl was lost in thought as she continues to struck down her opponents, her attacks are not fatal, but strong enough to leave them unconscious, after all, she need them alive.

Hazuki gritted her teeth when another minion of hers being knock out conscious, furiously gestured the two of her strongest among the minions, the short blade wielder and the trident wielder transformed into two hideous serpents, dashed toward the girl and wrapped their rotten bodies tightly around girl, in attempt to crush her bones...

"How do you like that?" Hazuki laughed maniacally at the sight, the two serpents was already snapping their jaws at the girl, waiting their mistress's order to sink their poisonous fangs into the girl's soft neck, "Ah, such bliss to see you fall on your knees before me," Hazuki grinned maliciously, did a finger snap to her snakes to continue on their attacks...

Nothing happens to the girl, instead, the two snakes let out loud painful shrieks, hastily unwrap themselves from the girl and slumped on the floor limply. The rotten skin of the snakes are further damaged and burned upon having a direct contact with the girl, they continued hissing weakly at her, but made no attempt to attack again, they are desperately trying to stay away from the girl as much as possible as though she was a deadly plague.

"Curse you, Sakaki!" Hazuki hollered in fury as another attack failed on her. Blinded by pure rage, she started to wield her dagger and storm recklessly. The girl moved to aside to evade the first piercing strike, stabbed both of her Katanas on the ground and landed a heavy blow under Hazuki's chin using her right palm. Hazuki stumbled a few steps forward at the throbbing pain around her jaw, the girl used this chance to knock the dagger away from Hazuki's grasp and grabbed her wrists, and much to the latter's horror as she was starting to feel the intense burning sensations spread around her wrists.

"Let go! Let go of me!" Hazuki started to kick and scream vigorously, desperately trying to extract her hands from the girl's firm grips. The scorching sensations was unbearable, she could feel her skin starting to burn away, glowing white symbols rapidly swirls with elegant from her wrists to her entire arms, and shortly starting to expand through her whole body, "NO!" She screamed from the bottom of her lungs, her struggles grew frantic as the symbols spread further, "Letgoletgoletgoletgo! Let go of me!" cried Hazuki whilst the girl tighten her grips, having no intention to let go of the other anytime soon, she chanted swiftly to speed up and strengthen the spread of the glowing symbols.

But an explosion and massive black smoke comes from the nearest steel-made wall interrupted her progress, and she was forced to let go of Hazuki's hands in order to evade the sudden appearance of an Uchigatana that almost have her hands dismembered. In the matter of a second, the training ground is overwhelmed by thick smoke screen.

As Hazuki was finally freed from the girl's horrifying clutches, the white glowing symbols that almost covered her whole body abruptly dissolved into the thin air. She dropped herself on the floor rubbing her burned wrists, trembling furiously both in anger and fright while shooting a hateful glare towards the girl. However, her attention was captured by the man, who appeared standing beside her, with an unconscious girl sling over his shoulder. Color drained from her face as she saw the severe burn on the unconscious girl's right arm, she weakly called, "Koizumi…" but she felt even more dread at the sudden appearance of the man who was supposed to be waiting at the lair with their leader.

"Y-Yagami… " Hazuki swallowed thickly under the stressful presence of the man. The man called Yagami does not look pleased as he scanned the out cold bodies that scattered all over the room, making her even nervous, "Why a-are you here?"

"There are two traitors in our mist, causing riots in the lair shortly after your group dispatch." replied the man with vex, "We will retreat for now, all of you are no match for her as she is now 'awaken'." Hazuki bite her lower lip in thwart at his spiteful remarks, yet couldn't muster enough courage to retort the dangerous man. Felt insulted, she forced herself up with her wobbling legs and commanded for the rest of the intruders who remains consciousness to retreat.

The man turned on his heels to follow suit behind the retreating figures…

"Wait!" A voice shouted, soon followed by a familiar silhouette the man knew rushed towards him, and successfully stopped him from leaving by grabbing the hem of his clothes. As the smokescreen starting to lift off, he saw a pair of amethyst eyes widen at the sight of him, obviously not expected to see him here after his attempt to kill her three years ago.

"Rinc."

The girl was shocked. She knew these attacks was merely the beginning of what is bigger about to come; She knew she would have to face him sooner or later ever since she regained her memories, she thought that she was ready, but no, upon looking at his current state, she was lost…

Like Hazuki, this man she once knew has fallen. His neck length hair are jet black, no longer gleaming in silver like it was in her memory; crimson red have replaced the abysmal emerald eyes he once have, and his personality have changed to the worst...

As the girl was momentary dazed, the man took this opportunity to knock her hand away. He heard a snap, but he didn't bother to check what it was and took off without saying a single word.

The smoke screen was finally lifted, silence engulfed her, she didn't pursuit as her feet was stiff as stone, standing in the middle of the damaged training ground, surrounded by unconscious fallen, she just stared blankly at the direction where the intruders fled.

She clenched her fists, but immediately loosens her grips as she felt something prickly held in her hand. The girl unclenched her hand and looked at the object on her hand; she felt her heart skipped a beat after she took a good look at the item...

It was a delicately handcrafted wooden comb that Rinc used to comb her hair with... He has kept this with him all this time...

She was plunged into the depth of confusion. That man has every chance to kill or take her away when she was in daze, why didn't he do it? Why did he tear his gaze away from her eyes?

This man does not fear to traumatize her, and yet that man feared to look her in the eyes...

Why?

"Hatsuyuki." an awfully familiar voice called out for her, startled and snap her back from her to reality from her trance.

* * *

"Hatsuyuki." he called. The startled girl turned to meet his sapphire eyes with her wide amethysts.

He couldn't believe it. Never in his wildest dream would he have thought their next encounter will be this chaotic. Sure, he always thought she might one day pop out of nowhere and gone traveling again like she did six years ago, but never like this...

"So you are the one who imposed as Aurora all this time," said Soma to the girl who looked at him with eyes widen in surprise, "Why didn't you tell me?" Six years he have waited, and half of his mind he had thought that the girl was long dead from the risky travel she did with her brothers outside the desert full of Aragami. This thought pained him, and he didn't have a slightest clue that this bizarre girl came back eight months ago, imposed as someone else, fought and suffered in a selfish family's state.

This time, Hatsuyuki avoided his intense gaze and stared down to the steel-made floor.

"Was it because you are hiding from them?" Soma's eyes scanned the unconscious bodies in the training ground and back to the girl, "You are going to tell me what the hell is going on whether you like it or not."

"I'll try," She replied, not as 'Aurora's' voice, but her own.

"I'm not giving you an option. After all these, we deserve an explanation," Soma growled. He felt complicated. Eight months she had imposed herself as Aurora, joined Fenrir, became the First Unit's leader, they have fought through battles of live and death, they became close friends, and she opens the door of exit for him to slowly walk out from his self-isolation, he taught that he knew her... But now, he was distraught inside out to found that he never really know the girl at all, "Or is that, you are the one who led them here." once his words was out of his mouth, Soma almost wanted to bite off his tongue, and wanted nothing more than the girl will just reply him a 'no'.

"Maybe, "she said without denying.

"So you are one of them?" Soma pressed further.

"I was," she replied softly, "But in the same time, I'm not."

Soma frowned at the answers he has received, because those answers are unacceptable.

Soon, he could hear the footsteps and shouting approaching the training ground. The other God Eaters coming, but the girl made no move to hide or escape; he asked one last question before the arrival of the backups.

All those strange abilities, terms, names... Soma know one thing for sure, they are not humans.

"What are you people?"

This time, Hatsuyuki finally turned her gaze away from the floor and looked Soma in the eyes. As she gave her replies, Soma could sense nothing but melancholy in her voice.

"I... Or should I say we, are the kind that are despised and loathed by humans."

Once she was finished, she was surrounded by the God Eaters, whose she have been proudly calls her comrades for the past eight months raised their God Arcs at her.

"Drop your weapons and surrender right this instant!" Tsubaki's stern voice echoed in the training ground. The girl could tell, one small movement or a single struggle from her, she will be gun down or cut down by the God Eaters, though they would need more than that to kill her...

And here she had once thought, they would at least question her without pointing weapons at her.

It's sad.

"You imposed as 'Haruno Aurora' and infiltrated into the Den for the past eight months, and have accessed information that is restricted only for the high rank God Eaters with your raven stalwarts." Stated Tsubaki without showing slightest hint of hesitation and troubled as she sentenced her brother's savior to her fate, "As of this moment onwards, you will be stripped from your position as Assault Lieutenant and will be put under custody for further monitoring."

Hatsuyuki stared at Tsubaki's cold glance, and thought struck her. She closed her eyes, scoffed and muttered under her own breathes ironically, "I see this is how it is. So this was your plan, Yagami." It's not like she could hurt them either, so she sheathed her Katanas and drop them on the floor without a retort.

"Take her to the special cell," Tsubaki ordered and chose those who are not from the First Unit to do so. Still, even those who are not from the First Unit hesitated, "B-but Tsubaki, aren't the special cell is for the Aragami infected-?"

"Are you questioning my order?" Tsubaki interjected firmly and caused the person asked flinched, "Whoever she was, and she is definitely not human, so what makes her different than Aragami infected God Eaters? Stop wasting time and take her away," fearing to further anger Tsubaki, they shackled Hatsuyuki's hands with thick steel handcuffs and proceed to lead her to the special cell.

Speaks up for their 'leader'; or do as Tsubaki says? The members of the First Unit were torn between on what to do. Soma was no different. But he sensed something was off. Strangely not Hatsuyuki, it was something else... Something still lingering restlessly around his surrounding yet he couldn't quite put it into words.

"This training ground will be used as a ward for these fallen beings, everyone move out and search for her raven stalwart!" Tsubaki continue to instruct as the others lead Hatsuyuki to the exit of the training ground. Hatsuyuki's expression was neutral, no anger, no sadness, but Soma was able to saw the anxiety in her amethyst eyes. When she walked pass Soma, she whispered in a very soft voice only Soma's keen ears could hear. Her whisper was as quick as wind, however, Soma did not miss a single words, his eyes widen in disconcert and could only watch as the girl was led away by his fellow God Eaters.

"Soma!" Tsubaki's firm voice snapped him back to earth, he side glanced the woman with a frown whilst she continued without being suspicious of the expression that he was showing, "From this minute onwards, you'll appoint as the new First Unit Leader and take charge of the Unit from here on."

"Why me? Lindow should be the one to be appoint to this position, he was the former leader after all," Soma's frowned even more at the unreasonable decision.

"After all these chaotic incident, who knows what else are still lurking around outside the Den," Tsubaki stressed, "Just a precautious for the worst, no more further questions, do you copy?" her stern voice leaving no space for arguments, Soma merely grunted as respond as the instructor strolled her way out of the training ground.

Why did Tsubaki sound to convinced that the others are probably dead? This doesn't feel right at all. And then, the words that Hatsuyuki whispered before she was being led away repeated in his mind...

_"Don't let your guard down, trust no one but Paylor and Kanon."_

* * *

The Den was in mess, but overall the damages that had been caused weren't as bad as the Entrance, training ground and the executive section. An hour after Hatsuyuki was led to the special ward, the entire 1st Unit in the Den plead Tsubaki to hear their ex-leader out regardless she was imposter or not, but Tsubaki just sternly told them off and ordered them to proceed on the patrolling around the area and search for Hatsuyuki's missing black wolf.

Hours have passed; no intruders no black wolf is sighted except for those remained unconscious in the training ground. Soma have done his part on the patrol and relieved his other fellow unit members from their posts so that the other unit could take over their place on the patrol.

He was tired from all the unpleasant surprise, surely a good sleep for a night will be blissful for the following day. But as much as he wanted to sleep, the thought of Hatsuyuki bothered him endlessly. She was currently under intense surveillance, no visitors are allowed to see or talk to her, which was irritating him to no end. He has so many questions to ask her about. Things may not be the way they seem to be, he knew from the bottom of his heart that Hatsuyuki may have some similarity in abilities with the intruders, but she was not entirely one of them.

Whilst pacing towards his room, Soma was greeted by an annoying sight of the room next to his being search through by other units. One of the God Eaters noticed Soma and stopped his search to greet him, "Soma, done patrol around the Den?"

Soma recognized the three people who are doing the search in Hatsuyuki's room; they are the new rookies who joined Fenrir merely a month ago. Surely they won't be bothered by the news of 'Aurora' being one of the intruders.

"Yea, and I was told to take over the search in her room," Soma lied, he knew there must be something hidden in her room that she don't want to be seen by the others, something tells him he must take over the search.

"Take over the search? But we're just here merely five minutes ago," the rookie seems troubled, "And we have not received words about other people will take over."

"It was a last minute call, so I'm here."

"Oh, I see!" The rookie doesn't seem to be suspicious on him and grinned, Soma relaxed a little in relief but the rookie's next words almost made Soma want to punch the day light out of him, "Why not we conduct the search together, the more the merrier!"

The more the merrier your ass!

Soma tried his hardest to hold back his growl. Guess he will have go along with it without looking suspicious.

Hatsuyuki's room was by far one of the tidiest among the people he knows after Sakuya. It wasn't filled with in thrown garbage like Kota's; or with clothes and dress scattered across the room like Alisa's; or even have her room being trashed and smashed up like his own... There was almost nothing in her room that could be called hers, most of the stuff was belonged to Lindow and they are well kept as she occasionally did some monthly cleaning.

"Geez, that imposter should really need to go shopping once in a while. She only has five sets of uniforms in her closets and they are all the same!" the female rookie has been muttering and complaining about Hatsuyuki's choice of wear while she was running through the closet.

"Does she even live here at all?! There's almost nothing that seems to belong to her in this room!" Another male rookie exclaimed whilst examining through Lindow's old pile of junks.

"She have only been logged in the terminal twice a month to check her supplies, emails and status, she never accessed anything other than those... None her personal files are saved in her terminal either," the only serious rookie mumbled.

'Ignore them,' Soma told himself, obviously irritated the rookies in the room, tried his best not to kick them out, 'Just ignore them and focus on your own search,' he gritted his teeth and looked around the bed area.

'There must be something around here,' Soma thought inwardly, kneeled to take a look under the bed. Nothing under the bed either.

He sighed dejectedly. And here he thought he might able to find something. Hatsuyuki often seems to fidget whenever someone comes near the bed, he knows she might have hid something here, but he never voice it out because he thought it might better he leave her some privacy. Before he stand up, he noticed a piece of dark blue fabric stuck out under the thick mattress, he reached out his hands attempted to pull it out, but he ended up shoving it back deeper into the mattress as he heard one of the rookie walked to him.

"Found anything?" The rookie asked.

"None," Soma lied again without breaking a sweat, all he needs to do right now is to get these three rookies out of the room.

"I see," the rookie scratched the back of his head in discouraged, "Guess we have searched through everything then, lets head out." he turned around to orders the other two rookie to move out from the room, and Soma took this opportunity to swiftly pull the object out of the mattress, much to his relief that the object was small enough to be hidden underneath his jacket. Then he stands up and leaves his expression blank as usual just in time the rookie turned to face him again, "Shall we move out then?"

Soma merely grunted in respond.

* * *

It was a small fabric package.

Soma took off his jacket and sat on his own bed, inspecting the object he has found from Hatsuyuki's room. He starts to untie the knots of the fabric in order to take a look what Hatsuyuki have been hiding secretively from the others in this bundle. Once the knot was undone, he pulled out the first thing he saw within, and gasped at the familiar piece of clothes...

It was the jacket he left behind for Hatsuyuki six years ago. Although the color seems a bit worn out, he could tell that she have been keeping it with care all this time. He felt the corners of his lips twitched upwards upon remembrance of the incident six years ago, but soon turned into a frowned at the size of his old jacket, "Never thought I had such small stature when I was thirteen..."

Putting aside the small jacket, he pulled out the second and remaining item lying within the fabric. It was a thick journal... On second look, it's more like a pile of different quality written papers are stacked neatly into a hard cover accordingly to date, as though she just writes on any plain paper she could get her hands on.

He made sure that his door was locked, in case someone just barge in without permission and notice this journal. He flipped open the cover, and started to read the first entry...

* * *

**A/N:  
DUN DUN DUN DUN~! Here comes another cliffhanger!**

**What did Hatsuyuki wrote in her journal? What will Soma finds out?**

**I'm will be waiting for the lovely reviews~**

**P.S.**

**I'm glad that 'The Daily Dose of Fun with God Eaters' has received unexpectedly good feedbacks. **

** : Don't worry; I'll still be continuing the one-shots along with this Fanfic. And thanks for the suggestions, I have thought of writing about Lindow's and Sakuya's wedding, and currently in writing progress :)**

**rydia3791: Haha! Glad that you love number 18! Personally my favorite one is number 22 in that fic, since it's not every day that Soma would get his God Arc case suddenly being accidently throw out by a hyper teenage :D**

**jhellou: Yup, Kota will always be Kota. Stay tune for the next one-shot! :)**

**PurplishBlue Heiress: You are most welcome! I'm delighted to know that I have made your day, I had fun writing it too! :D**


	6. Written Truth

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my OCs and the plots. The first lyric was actually a poem called 'Ode to Innocence' written by LiveLoveRun, I took reference from it and edited a few parts to fit it in this fictions. The second lyric/poem was 'Greatest Gift' by Step-On-me, again, edited by me and used it as a part of this fiction.**

**Warning: SomaXOc, Slight AU, Eric is alive in this fiction.**

**Very special thanks for jhellou, , and WAiMUN for the reviews, along with Manaxsavior and Yamiroo Alice for favourite and following this fiction, as well as the rest of the lovely reader for reading 'The First Snowfall During Winter.'**

**Behold, The insanely ridiculously long chapter 6 is finally here!**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

**1st entry**

**Date: Unknown**

_It has been a week since I awoke from my coma in the harsh winter, with no memory of myself before this. I have nothing with me except a pair of Katanas, a pair of washable clothes, few sheets of worn out paper, a pen and a jacket... With the fatal wound on my chest, no water, no food, I have no idea how have I survived in the midst of snow covered wasteland. Confused and lost in pain, a black wolf limped into the small cave with his small hunt in his mouth. That was when I realized that the wolf was the one who have been sustaining my life._

_The wolf seems to know me, but with my amnesia, I have no recollection of my life with a wolf in the past. I was sad. The wolf have suffered severe injuries as well, he was just as weak as I am, yet he limped his way out and back just to search for food and water to keep us both alive. When the blizzard occurs, he would give up the thought of going out for hunt and stayed in the small cave, he laid himself close to me so that I won't freeze to death._

_I may have amnesia, but I still have my common sense to know that falling asleep during a blizzard without proper shelter are fatal, so we kept each other awake by doing random chats. I definitely don't understand wolf speech, but I'm certain that the wolf understood the words I say as he would always gave me responds by snorting when I said something weird, or whined when I started to say something negative..._

_It seems like the whole world have been buried by the snow when I gaze out from the small entrance of the cave. There was nothing out there except the white and gray, as though the both of us are the only living things remained on land of earth. No human, no animals, just us._

_Both of us have only each other._

* * *

The first entry ends here.

Soma frowned. The whole point of the first entry was, she was fatally wounded, lost her memories and stranded in the middle of nowhere. And the wolf she mentioned must be Leonard. Was that how they met?

He flipped to the second page and continues to read...

* * *

**2nd entry**

**Date: Unknown**

_Two weeks have passed since the first entry, the weather had calmed for days and the worst has finally over. It was a miracle that I survived through this with severe injuries and shortage of food and water supplies. Yet what really made my heart swell was, the black wolf is still here. During merciless two freezing weeks, my condition were critical and I doubted that I could live through the blizzard. _

_I will be honest with myself that the thought of the wolf will eventually succumb to hunger and devour me or just give up on me and leave did crossed my mind. And yet, the wolf did none of those. He would got up and leave to search for food again, and came back just in time before the temperature drops, sharing the food he had hunt for us. He never left me alone more than a day. I couldn't be more grateful and thankful enough._

_As both of our wounds are starting to heal, I should start doing my parts. Which was getting my own feet back on duty._

* * *

**3rd entry**

**Date: Unknown**

_It was a painful process, but after another week of efforts, I was finally able to walk on my own without any supports needed. As my wound has healed, I joined the wolf to hunt in the snow. I admit that I was appalled at the sight of the source of food I have been fed on for the past weeks. Those unknown oversized creatures' looks weird and inedible; they are hard to kill and would quickly regenerate shortly after we thought they were dead. I shivered at the remembrance of the awful taste, I have no idea what I have been eating since the wolf always brings back only a part of his prey. But beggar no chooser; we still have to eat for the sake of surviving in this forsaken place. _

_Although my body was still weak due just recovered from the fatal wound, I was amazed by my own abilities on how well and natural I could wield my Katanas without a hitch. I could trust on my muscle's memories to do their job as I swiftly took down the prey. My body remembers how to respond to attack, know when to block and counter... even when I'm in amnesia state._

_And this brought up a question I haven't been asking myself since I woke up..._

_Who am I?_

* * *

**11th entry**

**Date: Approximately around March**

_Today, I named the wolf 'Leonard'. I don't know why, but it was the first name that crossed my mind shortly after I vaguely recalled my own name, 'Hatsuyuki'. Yet in the same time, it feels like Hatsuyuki is just an alias I have been using in the past, so my real name remained unknown. _

_As for the wolf, he was eager and excited when I mentioned about giving him a name, yet as soon as the name 'Leonard' slipped through my mouth, he whined and slumped himself on the dirt to sulk, thrown a mini tantrum on me. It was a funny sight, but he was not pleased. I may sound weird, but it seems to me that the wolf was unhappy not because of the name, he was being...sad and disappointed because I couldn't remember him. _

_The winter will be over soon, snow starting to melt away. Tomorrow will be the ideal day to begin our travel... _

* * *

**27th entry**

**Date: 15th April 2068**

_Day after day we traveled, we finally found the location where humans other than me resided, and I was able to get to know the year and date by asking a woman. I'm glad, glad to know that I'm not the only human survived in this world, and grateful that the woman was kind enough to let us stay under her roof for the time being. But this feeling did not last long, Leonard have been awfully restless since we have step feet in this place, nudged and dragged me by biting the hem of my clothes as if urging me to get out of this place immediately..._

_Then I realized something was wrong in this place. Really wrong._

_I have taken a quick around the 'town', dreadful sensation started to swell in my chest as the conditions of this place was anything but peaceful and sane. Temples, Churches, and Shrines have been severely damaged by the people who live here, vandalizing the place with words of insults and mockeries, throwing rocks and further damaging the place with whatever tools they have. They killed, tortured and abandoned the remaining corpses into the once supposed sacred places and they insults even more..._

_It was an unbearable sight to watch, so I stepped in to stop their immoral acts, as I know defiling the sacred places is huge crime and unforgivable sin to be committed. I plead for the people to stop the act of cruelty and insanity in these places and in return, they turned to me and raised whatever they had as a weapon against me, that woman who agreed to let me stay under her roof was there as well, I was surrounded by hateful glares..._

_They attempt to kill me._

_For the sole reason for being faithful to the Gods, I was chased down by the people who loathed the Gods. It doesn't take me long to escape from the remote place along with Leonard, outran the people from that place. As much as they craved to kill me, they dare not step out from the border of their place, I was confused..._

_And then, it happened._

_Dozens monsters appeared out of nowhere, swarmed around the slum and proceed to attack. I heard the people's screams, the women's plea and the children's cries..._

_Unable to just stand and watch, I plunged myself in to the bloodshed with Leonard. Not long after, we slayed the last and remaining monster from the attack. Death was everywhere. I couldn't save some of the people in time. I and Leonard left shortly after tending the people's wounds, knowing in heart that our presence was not welcomed here. _

_I will never forget the looks in the people's eyes when the attacks happened._

_Their hate for Gods intensified._

* * *

**109th entry**

**Date: 29th March 2069**

_The spring came after the merciless winter, yet there are no green in sight. A year has passed since the first day of our travel, my memories of my past has yet showed no sign of returning. We have yet found another slum ever since the previous two. I really, really hope that our next stop won't be as bad as to former two._

_I sincerely do hope so._

* * *

**225th entry**

**Date: 10th December 2069**

_The temperature has been dropping drastically since a week ago. If we are unable to find the next place where humans resides, I and Leonard will be forced find a suitable spot in this wasteland to settle down for months. We continued to push ourselves further and quicken out paces, determined to carry on our journey until the first snow falls._

* * *

**229th entry**

**Date: 17th December 2069**

_I was relieved as we have found another place where humans reside before the snow cascade from the sky. I was almost leaped in joy, excited and hoped dearly that this time; I have a place I could stay..._

_But all my joy, excitement, and hope, was crushed._

_Death is everywhere._

* * *

**230th entry**

**Date: 19th December 2069**

_Two days has passed since we're here in this dying place._

_Unlike the previous two slums, this slum have a special wall surrounded its whole perimeter. The people here said it was an Anti-Aragami wall, which was used to prevent those monsters from invading and devour the people living here, but not completely, since it's just a prototype._

_Yet, even though armed with advanced shield, avoided the attacks of the monsters, it doesn't change the fact that the condition of the people in this slum was ton times worse compare to the previous two. _

_Temples, churches and Shrines, completely demolished. Deadly diseases plagued this place, spared no one except me and Leonard, sick and ill people can be spotted every corner of the slum, deformed and rotten corpses scattered everywhere, emitting stenches of decaying flesh, moans of pain and agony resounded in the thin air..._

_With all these horrible sight, I know from the bottom of my heart that...the people here probably would not survive through the winter... _

* * *

**250th entry**

**Date: 20th January 2070**

_I could hardly believe only one month have passed since we're here when it actually felt like a year._

_Every day enduring the cruel winter blizzard, burying the dead people, nursing the ill people, cleaning their decaying skin with care, feeding them with what we could found edible... They are weak, too weak that they could not even summon their strength to mourn for the death of someone close to them who died one by one every single day. The numbers of the people here have decreased by half, only three hundred left._

_I couldn't save them from their fated death, but there's only a few things I could do for them, which was continue to nurse them until they breathe their last breathe in this world, and went in peace knowing that someone was willing to be there to care for them until the very end._

_Even though knowing their hates against the gods, I continued to stay by their side, prayed for them without missing a day, hoping, that their sins could be forgiven and have a better afterlife._

* * *

**260th entry**

**Date: 19th February 2070**

_The merciless period of the winter has passed, yet the temperature was still unbearably low with snow drift and falling slowly from the sky..._

_I leaned against Leonard's warm and soft black coat, watched as the snow landed on every surface of this lifeless slum, feeling exhausted, sad and troubled, but I was unable to fall asleep..._

_Because I have been hearing voices and seeing things that are not belong to the livings. The dead souls of the people here still holds the strong and intense grudges against gods they have before their death, and they could not pass on or be accepted into the afterlife. So with nowhere else to go, they lingered around the slum, screaming, crying, screeching their hates to every living thing they could find, and the main victims are always towards those who are nearing their death, causing ill people screaming and trashing on their laying spot in pain. For that reason, I have been staying awake for few days, sitting close to the ill people and act as a living amulet to stop the dead souls from further disturbing the dying people._

_There are only fifty people left in this slum, each of them are nearing their end very soon. Leonard suddenly growled and not pleased at the presence that glides into the small house. I could see the Death in black was standing among the dying people, waiting patiently for their time to end. _

_"Three souls will be shred from their mortal flesh today, four tomorrow, and then ten next, eventually all will meet their fate; you need not to cry, as they are the sinners who need to be punished in the afterlife for the cruelty they have done."_

_These are the words the Death said to me._

_As the morning came, the sun finally shows itself after one months of the disappearance, showering the slum with warm rays of light. _

_But there are three people among the fifty never have a chance to open their eyes again..._

* * *

**265th entry**

**Date: 25th February 2070**

_Just like the Death had said, the casualty was in order. After three, there goes four, and then the odds continue to increase by day, until only ten was left. I and Leonard went back to the small house to nurse the remaining people after done bury the bodies of the deceased. _

_There is something different about these remaining ten. There are all elders. Unlike the others who had been cursing their misfortunes and voiced out their hate, these elders has been begging._

_They are begging for forgiveness, from both divines and an unknown person. Confused, I had asked them whom the person they are constantly begging forgiveness from, but they gave me no name, and worst, they have mistaken me for that unknown person. I tried to deny their assumption, and eventually gave up the attempt to do so as the elders are being persistent._

_In order to let the elders to leave in peace without regrets and guilt, I decide to play along, and forgave them in the unknown person's place. I know I don't have the right to do so, since from what I have heard from the elders' painful confessions; they had done many horrible things to that person. Forgiving is much more difficult to be the one asking for forgiveness, but there are times, people who ask for forgiveness will never have a chance to get their replies, because it appears that the person whom they once harmed are no longer among the livings..._

_Muttered my apologize to that unfortunate person; I forgave them in that person's place. _

_The sobbing have stopped, no more moans in pain, there are no cursing, no grudge..._

_Nine people died in peace. _

* * *

**267th entry**

**Date:1th March 2070**

_I continued to nurse the remaining one elder. She was an old lady in her late eighties. Her condition was unpredictable, the Death said she was supposed to die on the very same day as the other nine, but the old lady was unwilling to die just yet. So I remained by her side, with the Death waiting beside, accompanied her until her last moment._

_When the time has finally near, she finally spoke, and did a long confession with her remaining strength..._

_"Half century ago, Gods have gave us many chances to repent on our wrong doings, yet a mere humans like us took it for granted and trampled their benevolence, angered and disappointed them by harming their dearest children, whose sacrificed to live among the divines just to guide the insolent humans like us... Punishments finally showered upon us by taking away the creations of our greed, yet we are in foolish denials, too foolish and choose not to repent our sins, we blamed the divines for our lost and for putting us into the endless miseries. In the end, we sinned more and more._

_"The second warning came, by taking away the resources human needs to survive. Yet again, insolents fools like us learned nothing from the lost, foolish scientists formed an army of enhanced humans who slays gods; foolish humans like us further angered the divines by lashing our wraths on the divine's beloved sacred sons and daughters, and killed them again and again as soon as their reincarnations came back to this dying world to save our pitiful souls._

_"The third and final warning came after we foolish humans' act of cruelty upon their sacred children whom yet gave up on us, deadly plagues and diseases spreads wide, merciless punishments scorches into our bones to make us suffer a painfully slow death. Insolents fools like us again, pay no heed to repent, instead, blames the divines more than we already had._

_"As the door of death was finally near, only a few starts to regret and beg to be forgiven. However, we have long since letting the chances to slips away. We sinners must suffer tons time more than the same way as we had made the sacred children suffered after we enters the afterlife until the day our sins are purified."_

_I was stunned by these honest confessions that came out from her weak breathe as the old lady gave a weak squeeze on my hand._

_"Before I steps into the door of death, I would like to hear an honest reply from you. Do you hate us?"_

_Ah, that was when I realized they must have mistaken me as one of the Gods' sacred children they have been hurting in the past. After knowing the truth, I hesitated to give the old lady an answer as I have no right to answer for the divines, but upon looking into the old lady's hopeful gaze, I knew from the bottom of my heart that what the sacred children would wanted..._

_I respond by giving her the reply she wanted with sincerity, _

_As though the weight of guilt piled up in her weak body have finally perished, ready to meet her fate, she went in peace with a soft smile on her face._

_I could only watch as the Death took her away._

* * *

**285th entry**

**Date: 5th May 2070**

_Months have passed, and I still couldn't recall my past. But there has been a few changes ever since my stay at the slum of death. I could hear voices no humans could hear; I could see things no humans could see; every touch, every scent... _

_I haven't been sleeping more than a day since, which made Leonard really worried and stopped his tracks every now and then just to let me get some rest. I'm grateful, but whenever I close my eyes trying to get some sleep, it happens again..._

_Even in the middle of the wasteland filled with monsters, the hatred of the lingering souls haunts me, screaming, shrieking, crying, overwhelming negative emotions almost drown me alive, eventually, I gave up the attempt to sleep and continue our journey._

_'Completely innocent laughter we shared every day, _

_Both young and pure never a slightest taint,_

_Belief in happily ever after just the way we are,_

_Perfectly immature it may seem, _

_But we are fortunate to have each other. _

_Skipping around in the luscious woods,_

_Enjoyed and grateful towards everything,_

_Not a problem in our mind,_

_As we feeling safe and sound,_

_Happily coexisting with other different beings,_

_Our world feels so complete,_

_Learning new things that we have learned,_

_Silently guide and protect the lost safely out of danger,_

_Playing games whenever we have a chance,_

_In this life of innocent divine,_

_We are what we love to be,_

_And hope dearly nothing will ever change._

_Always trying to be the best for the sake of beloved,_

_Just like our dearest siblings,_

_Used to fight crazily,_

_Forgiving soon came after,_

_Loves each other so dearly._

_A story of the day beside the warm flickering flame,_

_Enjoyed and grateful for every second we had lived,_

_Kisses we give on each other's head,_

_"Sweet dreams, goodnight."_

_We dreamed of becoming a better being for each other,_

_Changing in the same time retain the way we are,_

_Living in harmony with never ending love we have,_

_Each and every single day,_

_Swore to be there for each other,_

_Even if one day the whole world turns their back against us,_

_With our siblings we love dearly.'_

_With this nostalgic song suddenly appears in the sea of my mind, for the very first time since I woke up with amnesia, I vaguely remembered two familiar faces with gentle smiles, yet in the same time, I don't remember who they are._

_I cried._

* * *

**310th entry**

**Date: 20th December 2070**

_Huddled up with Leonard in the nearest cave we could find in the wasteland, I watched as the first snow of this year's winter descends from the gray sky. _

_Even though I idea what had happened in the past before I lost my memories, I sure do aware that I don't feel comfortable being around the snow. Much to my dilemma, I have been growing since the past two years; my only two sets of clothes now could barely fit my body. Shivered in cold, I wrapped myself with the only jacket I have with me that fits just right as I wrote on this last piece of paper._

_I have always wondered, whose jacket might this belong to? It doesn't felt like mine._

_Pushing this thought aside for now, I and Leonard have to focus on surviving for these three months. _

* * *

**311th entry**

**Date: 10th March 2071**

_It was a miracle. I was amazed and awed. I couldn't believe my own eyes!_

_Two year we had traveled across wasteland and desert, from slum to slum, never once we have come across a place so full of life._

_We accidently ran into a woman who was in her late thirties, Mrs. Haruno, after we snuck ourselves into this place by climbing over the tall wall that surrounds the perimeter of this place. She offered us to stay over her place for the time being after I asked. We can't be more grateful._

_A proper rooftop over our head; a refreshing bath; a change of borrowed clean clothes; a decent meal to eat._

_I was content._

* * *

**312th entry**

**Date: 15th March 2071**

_As I have nothing with me that could give in return for their hospitality, I offered to help out Mr. Haruno to run errands during the day, help out on the house course during evening, and accompany their only daughter, Aurora who was fragile after falling ill years ago. I'm happy, happy that I could finally spend time and interact with other humans other than myself._

_There's no errand to run for today, the whole family went to visit a doctor today for Aurora's medical checkup, as well as for since she have been experiencing nausea and throwing out whatever she had for pass three days. I hope it was nothing bad._

_Leonard went out to hunt since the small portions of food aren't able to satisfy his hunger. Left alone and have nothing to do, I decided to explore around the Outer Ghetto. _

_I was fascinated by this place._

_Even though there's no temples, churches or shrines here; lingering soul of the deceased could still be spotted here and there; voices of the distrust against the divine beings could still be painfully heard, but at very least, there's no bloodshed, no cruelty, no torturous act caused by human to human here. _

_There may have mourning of the people to the deceased, yet beyond that I could still hear the arrival of the newborns and innocent laughter of the oblivion children. _

_They may have lost trust to the divines, but they believe on surviving through every day. _

_This is good enough._

_I think, I have finally found a place to settle down._

* * *

**313th entry**

**Date: 16th March 2071**

_Many things had happened in a day. Life sure is filled with never ending twists. I might not be a person who can settle down in peace after all. _

_Leonard went out to hunt for food again, and I was on my way to the household of Fujiki to complete the remaining task I have in my hand for the day, whilst looking for a possible unoccupied house to decide my stay. I saw a crying little girl dash out from a house and ran away, totally ignoring the cries of her family members from the house. I first thought it might just be a family quarrel and decided to shrug off to continue my task._

_But I was appalled shortly after at the sight of the Death tailing right behind the weeping girl. The task in my hands was promptly forgotten and I proceed to chase after the girl._

_It was a close call. I was able to save the girl from both the Death and the jaw of the monster that broke in from outside of the wall just in the nick of time. I have changed a person's fate, seeing the Death disappeared into the thin air without holding any grudge for my act, I know he won't appear before this girl for a very long time._

_I had almost laughed when the little girl told me her name, such coincidence. Her name is Nozomi Fujiki, one of the members of the household I was about to deliver the rations to. I've offered to send her home and only to receive strings of whimpers in return._

_"My big brother is going to be a God Eater; he can't stay home with me and mommy every day anymore."_

_These words are the only audible words I could hear from her muffled sobs and cries. I paled again._

_God Eaters..._

_Why would people want to further anger the divines by slaying them? _

_I carried the weeping girl back to her home safely with a heavy heart and met her worried sick mother and brother. I was asked to stay for a dinner with them as thanks for bringing their family home. With a little girl literally latched herself on you with a pair of kicked puppy eyes, it's impossible to say no, so I stayed._

_I spent an evening there, chatted with the little girl's brother, Kota, and asked about the God Eaters which I had never heard of during my entire stay at the Haruno's, and have learned about things I had missed out and unknown about._

_They called the monsters out there the Aragami, the gods that are fallen devours everything in sight; and the job of the God Eaters is to slay every single one in sight._

_So the reason the people loathed the divine beings so much, was because of those monsters? So much that they have even named the monsters after the divines..._

_This sounds so wrong. I have slayed the monsters for two years, I saw no soul within the monsters, let alone to be called divine. How could they lump those monsters together with the gods?_

_I didn't voice my thought to Kota though, because he seems determined about becoming a God Eater. His purpose was simple, is to protect his family the monsters. I have no right to discourage him._

_I thought I could ignore the whole God Eaters stuff as long as the people didn't actually intend on slaying the real deal._

_But I was wrong. I day couldn't get any more worst._

_As I went back to the Haruno household, I saw a man in white stood before the doorstep of their house..._

_Aurora was chosen to be a God Eater._

_It may be for the sake of humankind, they fought in humans' name, to justify that they are independent, and do not need the trust the divines to survive in this dying world. _

* * *

**313th entry**

**Date: 17th March 2071**

_Mrs. Haruno was devastated and distraught. The news of her daughter are going to put her own life in the front line have took a huge toll on her. She was supposed to be a happy woman who comes home with a joyful news for having a second child on the way, but the joy did not last long, as the second child was on the way, someone else are about to take her first child away. What act could be crueler than this?_

_Mr. Haruno aren't able to get himself to work, so I offered to complete most of his job for today so he could spend more time with Aurora while he could as well as for Mrs. Haruno's sake. _

_Aurora was too ill to move, let alone performing combats. I have seen the Death lingering beside her since morning. It was a clear sign that the Death was kind enough to give me. If Aurora accept the job, she will never come back to this household ever again._

_I have given a lot of thought about this for the whole day, and made a decision. _

_Leonard won't be pleased, or worse, bites me..._

* * *

**314th entry**

**Date: ****24th March 2071**

_The world last fortress, Fenrir; humankinds' last hope and savior, the God Eaters..._

_I scowled inside whenever I hear it, and may never get over the fact that how I find this title arrogant and insolent. What makes it worst was..._

_I'm now one of them._

_I imposed as Aurora Haruno and joined the Fenrir as a New-Type God Eater on the same as Kota._

_Weird substance injected into my veins, wielding heavy weapon they called 'God Arc', along with the blood red armlet that latched on my right wrist is a prove that I have signed my freedom away and live as a living weapon to slay 'Gods'. How much more ironic could this get?_

_In the same time, I feel complicated._

_Although the terms of 'God Eaters' sound insolent and ignorant, the people in the Den fought to survive in this dying world. They won't care who their opponents are, real divines or not, all they truly want was to restore the world back to the way it once was, the world without monsters strolling on the surface of earth and destroy everything before them like a hurricane, where people could live without fear wondering which day will be their last..._

_If only... If only the terms they use are not 'God Eaters', if only they don't name those monsters after the divines, if only they don't lump those monsters together with the divines..._

_The divines might spare them from anymore suffering earlier than they thought._

_But I can't say a word, for the sake of the Haruno family. _

_Because right now, I'm Aurora Haruno._

* * *

**315th entry**

**Date: 29th March 2071**

_I was assigned to the Assault team, the First Unit, work as a rookie under Lindow Amamiya. He was a strange man and it was hard to believe that he is Tsubaki's younger brother._

_I am to train with veterans in the First Unit for a month, learning how to wield my God Arcs and what I need to know about being a God Eater. It was a piece of cake, but I can't let them know that I was capable to slay the monsters individually without using God Arc, because 'Aurora Haruno' comes from a normal family, with no combat experience and so 'she' __**should **__have absolutely no idea how to fight._

_Which means I have been spending days experiencing painfully, agonizingly, tiresomely slow process of slaying the monsters, and forced myself to pretend to be knock down by the monsters from time to time during the first few days under Lindow's and Sakuya's lead, because a rookie should be an amateur._

_Nonetheless, I respect the both of them._

_Kota was doing fine as well, but I have to make sure he doesn't get himself killed for being reckless. Or else Nozomi will be sad, as well as his mother._

_As for Leonard, he has been sulking ever since I made the decision to join Fenrir. I wonder how much longer he intends to ignore me..._

_And the occasional punishment bites should stop!_

* * *

**316th entry**

**Date: 3th April 2071**

_I, never thought there would be a day I could get a small portion of my lose memory back, by meeting the owner of the jacket I have been holding on for years._

_As my training session with Lindow and Sakuya have ended, I was assigned undergoes another training session with a veteran who was one or two years older than me, Soma Schicksal, along with a sniper, Eric de Volgeweid._

_I was stunned by the appearance of the Death during the mission with the two God Eaters. The Death was strolling beside Eric, waited for another soul to be delivered, while Eric was oblivious of his incoming death._

_As result, I have almost blown my cover saving Eric, by giving the Ogretail an instant kill. The Death disappeared again, Eric's death was prevented._

_Soon after, I have avoided Soma's every suspicious gaze by giving stiffed retorts such as "It was all instinct reflexes." _

_Until I almost thought that my cover was blown, I saw something white fall out the pocket of his jacket as he pulled out his phone to call for the chopper._

_It is a silk white ribbon. _

_A small portion of forgotten nostalgic memory rushes back into my mind like flood when I picked up the ribbon for him..._

_The small encounter at the Outer Ghetto during the first snow; a story telling about the Red Thread of Fate while sitting under an abandoned booth; the red thin silk that we used to tied around our fingers; being carried on his back while I was asleep; the jacket he left behind to keep me warm from the winter cold; the silent promises to meet again before we parted..._

_I have been here before, I have met him before. No words in this world could describe how happy I was, to be able to regain some of my lost memories, no matter how small it was, after two years in blank._

_And I'm happy, that I could keep my promise to him._

_But as soon he snatched the ribbon away from my hand with sheer anger, I realized, the one who stood before him, is 'Aurora Haruno', not 'Hatsuyuki'..._

* * *

**317****th**** entry**

**Date: 1th May 2071**

_It has been a month since I have become a God Eater in Aurora's place. The training session finally ended, which means I could take on any solo mission I want and complete the mission with my own pace._

_In other word, I could pretend to go KIA whenever I find the timing is right, break the armlet, leave the God Arc behind and flee for my freedom with Leonard._

_I can't say that I don't like it here. I want to leave because I don't want to stuck in being a person I am not forever. _

_I don't want to be 'Aurora' who have been receiving endless praises for improving in combats with flying colors; 'Aurora' who have been receiving countless high hopes and expectations; 'Aurora' who have been making friends and being rely on; and most importantly, the 'Aurora' who can't fulfill her promise to Soma Schicksal as 'Hatsuyuki'._

_As long as I'm living under the disguise as 'Aurora', I am not allowed to make any mistake that could put the Haruno family into trouble for denying the order of Fenrir and have the real Aurora to meet her death._

_The rewards and money I been receiving from the missions I accomplished for the past month, I only keep enough for myself to buy a few sets of uniform, food and for the God Arc repairing (only for the shield part). As for the rest, I split them into half for the Haruno family, plenty enough for Aurora to effort for better medication; and another half was for the orphanages I found in the Outer Ghetto. They need the money more than I do._

_My debt to them have repaid, I'm sure I owe them no more. _

_I wonder, maybe, after 'Aurora' went KIA, I might consider coming back to aid the people here as 'Hatsuyuki'..._

* * *

**318th entry**

**Date: 5th May 2071**

_It seems that gods have another task stored for me to complete. The day after I have planned my KIA route, it was the day Lindow was labeled as KIA after a fatal mistake made by Alisa, a fellow New-Type God Eater in the Den. _

_I could've save him that day with my own ability, if not for the rest of the team was there ready to witness my cover being blown. I was struggling between choosing the life of Lindow and Haruno family._

_I choose the latter as soon as the Death appeared for a swift moment, stating that the time of Lindow's death as yet to come._

_Everything was in wreck in the Den. Sakuya's collapse, Alisa's mental breakdown, Kota's self-blaming for not able to do better, and the pointless accusation towards Soma for being the 'Death' of the team..._

_How could I leave for my own freedom, when the people that 'Aurora' have grown fond of in the Den was in miserable state, while knowing better than anyone else that I was to blame._

_If only..._

_If only I could tell them Lindow is not dead._

_But I'm 'Aurora', not 'Hatsuyuki' who could see Death and souls..._

* * *

**319th entry**

**Date: 10th June 2071**

_Many things have happened, and I finally know the Gods' intention for not letting me leave the Den just yet._

_It was because of Director Schicksal's Aegis Project. He planned to cause destruction on this earth, to completely wipe out the existence of the monsters to create new world for the humankind. I have no right to say his intention was bad, but I'm sure it was not allowed._

_He has killed far too many people for this forbidden project, and he was planning to sacrifice more. _

_Countless special missions he has requested me to accomplish, just to search for one Singularity, Shio._

_Shio was special, we all know, but in differently. Director Schicksal thought she was as special type of Aragami that connects to the entire existence of the monsters; Dr. Sakaki deemed that she was merely a humanoid aragami who have developed human traits..._

_But I could see better, know better than anyone else that Shio is an aragami who carries a shattered human soul._

_I've never told anyone but Leonard about this, about how uneasy I felt whenever I'm close to Shio. I can't help but cringed whenever I sense a similarity between us._

_I can see it, the color of the shattered soul she carried, it was as same as mine._

* * *

**320th entry**

**Date: 20th June 2071**

_Shio starts to talk like a normal human, and soon adored by others. I slowly let myself put aside the uneasy feeling I felt towards Shio and open up to accept her. Treating her like my own sister who shared a same soul as me._

_I collected more materials for her to make new clothes, brings her out to eat, and spent more time with her whenever I'm free._

_Soma did the same too. In fact, he has done twice of what I did for Shio._

_I know he have grown fond of the girl, and slowly starting like her as a girl. I gave no comment to that. I'm didn't step in to stop him from feeling this way..._

_Because he looks happy, probably the happiest I have seen since I joined Fenrir..._

* * *

**321th entry**

**Date: 25th July 2071**

_It has been a hectic month, and I could barely spare a time to write._

_Soon after the incident of the Aegis project, there is a monster they called Hannibal was sighted and could regenerate itself after its core being extracted. _

_As we fought the Hannibal, I couldn't help but sense familiarity from it. It's martial moves, the way it combats, the way it attacks; it was almost...as though I'm fighting myself and someone else I have forgotten._

_The fight ended quickly, but I never speak a word to the others about the massive headache I have been enduring, and how heavy my God Arc was to the point I was not able to completely form my shield quick enough after pushing Kota aside._

_As I woke up surrounded by my concerned teammates, I was unable to muster up the courage to tell them I'm starting to lost the ability to wield my God Arc._

_Dr. Sakaki rushed in to the Sickbay an hour after my teammates left, looks appalled and bewildered. It felt weird to see the doctor lose his composer. Yet what he did next startled me..._

_He peeled off the thin mask I wore, Leonard didn't stop him, and we both stunned._

_He did not explain his action, in the same time, he have no intention to tell on me and immediately injected large amount of Oracle Cells that could instantly kill a God Eater into my body._

_He looked almost frantic, and told me that I have a body functions the complete opposite of Soma. Instead having a body that could produce its own Oracle Cells, my body completely nullifies them. Sooner or later, Oracle Cells will completely useless in me._

_This explained the real reason the damaged core of my God Arc. It wasn't damaged by the blow of the Hannibal. I was the one who broke it._

_Dr. Sakaki offered to secretly give me large amount of condensed Oracle Cells to buy me some times to retain my ability to wield the God Arc until my body finally immune to them. Due for my safety, I'm not allowed to speak a word about this unless I have a suicidal wish to turn myself into a lab rat of the Headquarter._

_I was grateful to Dr. Sakaki, for promise to keep my identity a secret. But he is hiding something, I know he knows something about my forgotten past, he knew me, judging by the expression he showed upon witness my real face. _

_However, I didn't pry him for details for my past. Because the guilt and sadness he showed from his eyes, was almost the same as the dead old lady from the deserted slum I have stayed a year ago._

_All truth will eventually be unfolded, either sooner or later._

_Before my life as 'Aurora' the God Eater of Fenrir comes to an end, there's something I must to do..._

_Speed up my search for Lindow._

* * *

**322th entry**

**Date: 15th August 2071**

_Today was the big day for Lindow and Sakuya._

_They are married._

_The wedding was immediately planned soon after a week the day Lindow came back alive. Everyone was happy._

_Unlike the traditional way of wedding though, people here do not held their wedding in the presences of Gods, but to people instead._

_Regardless how upset I felt about this, I keep this thought to myself, and could only watch as the God of marriage, Musubi-no-Kami, sincerely gave his blessing to the married couple with a sad smile._

_If only they are able to see, there are gods still willing to stay behind to protect humans regardless how human thought ill of them._

_If only I could tell them, gods still loves them and are ready to forgive._

* * *

**323th entry**

**Date: 20th August 2071**

_I could sense it. My day of being 'Aurora' is coming to meet her end. Even with the large doses of condensed Oracle Cells, I could barely activate the predator mode of my God Arc. So most of the time, I'll let my friends to do the salvage instead._

_Friends..._

_I have made a fatal mistake before I could even realize it. I have attachment to the people here when I wasn't supposed to. Now, I'm facing a whole new level of dilemma. Stay or leave?_

_I made lots and lots of trust worthy friends in the Den while hiding under the identity of Aurora Haruno. I have gained their trust, in the same time I deceived them._

_How will they react when they finds out the person who they came to trust was actually an imposter of the original?_

_I have shivered whenever I thought of the consequences._

_If I am to leave this place after being cast out or lock up for imposing as Aurora Haruno, I guess my deepest regret will be..._

_For not telling Soma the truth that I'm Hatsuyuki; for not being able to tell him how much his father loves him, I know because I went back to Aegis alone to talk with Mr. Johann's lingering soul; for not able to tell him his mother was always besides him whispering a silent sorry whenever he was being bad mouthed by others in the Den; for not telling him that I could actually able speaks to Shio who was sitting alone on the moon, always saying how much she missed you, and when I could actually take her place as a Singularity and take the Nova to the moon, but in the same time I couldn't because I know there's something else in this world I have to do before I die..._

_There's still so much, so much more I wanted to tell him, especially promise we made six years ago and he was the first and only person I remembered after having amnesia._

_But I'm sure all these thoughts will not be told and be trusted once I'm being labeled as an imposter by the Den._

_All my words will be a lie in their ears._

_Because they believes in 'Aurora', not 'Hatsuyuki'._

_Serve me right for deceiving._

* * *

**324th entry**

**Date: 25th August 2071**

_I took a day off from work, carried pup size Leonard out of the Den for a walk as I still torn between staying or leave._

_I might breakdown if it wasn't for Leonard who remains faithful by my side regardless what I do, and for Dr. Sakaki's sincere understanding for giving me time to decide as well as keeping my secrets. _

_I thought my day will be wasted in vexation, until I heard a familiar yet malicious lullaby coming from the middle of a small crowd._

_The tone was alluring, sung by two girls covered in black hood, no one seems to understand the language they sang, it doesn't really matter as they are too engrossed in to the alluring melody..._

_But I understand the deathly meaning behind the lullaby..._

_'God's greatest Gift,_

_A sign for our Existence,_

_The earth, once so Full of Life;_

_So innocent and pure._

_Numerous lives being spun and unraveled each moment,_

_Never-touching Circles, in a world of faces we fail to recognize;_

_Prosopagnosia, a Disorder to each Victim_

_The world is possessed by numerous demons._

_Whispers that Pierce like Blades,_

_Single words running through my Veins,_

_Reins to the Thresh of verbal Surgery_

_Capture Thoughts that now belong in the Hands of Demons that feed on innocent souls._

_Corrupt, careless, ignorant humans,_

_Could we have ever overestimated you more?_

_Living not of this world but merely in it,_

_Shadows Lark not far behind, waiting to ruin the world to Dust._

_Our dearest soul of Chastity,_

_Be prepare to meet your fate,_

_As we plunges these hideous pests into the deepest depth of abyss.'_

_Leonard was growling at them._

_Without doubt, their last phrase was directed to me._

_The warning behind the deadly lullaby, the malicious grins they gave, the familiar yet dangerous presences they emits..._

_Before I could stop them, they vanished within the sounds of applauses._

_They knew me._

_Vaguely, I knew them as well._

_They are fallen deities._

_It seems the key to unlock my forgotten memories was near._

_'Aurora' will soon be no more, whether I like it or not._

* * *

**325th entry**

**Date: 30th August 2071**

_It was selfish of me I know. For asking Dr. Sakaki to cover up my constants disappearance from the Den as 'Dispatch for secret missions', so that Tsubaki and the higher ups won't be suspicious of me, while I was on my way to search for the lairs of the fallen deities with Leonard. To have this request to be approved so easily, I guess Dr. Sakaki have an idea of what was actually going on all along. I can't let his effort go to waste. So I left my God Arc in Dr. Sakaki's lab whenever I leave and bring my Katanas with me instead. I know God Arcs are useless against them. _

_Five days of searching, I found nothing. Until I and Leonard was attacked by two fallen deities this afternoon in the wasteland._

_The two who attacked me was not the two I saw in the Outer Ghetto. My attackers was both male cloaked in black. One excel in aerial combat, attacking from above using arrows with fatal accuracy while riding on the back of his large eagle shikigami; the other one was an expert in wielding spear, sending strong and powerful blows and attacks that could shattered a person's bones with ease while his white tiger shikigami and Leonard attacks each other._

_With my forgotten memories comes back to me bit by bit, I know I was fighting a losing battle as a massive headache hit me with full force._

_They could've killed me with ease, but they didn't._

_They retreated without a word after I fall on my knees holding my throbbing head in pain with a cut on my arm caused by one of the attackers' arrow._

_As Leonard gave me a ride back to the Den, more than half of my memories are back._

_My undying believes of gods. The reasons behind for my eyes to able to see what humans can't see; ears that could hear what humans can't hear; the senses that could feel the emotions from the deaths that no humans could feel; senses that constantly took away my sleeps; the abilities to be able to fight the monsters without the need to become a God Eater; the hints that the Death drops..._

_Now I finally know. _

_I was almost killed by a man named Rinc three years ago, actually a fallen deity by the name of Yagami, took advantages of my vulnerability condition in attempt to make me fall as well when the time is right._

_There are more, but I still can't remember some of the most important parts._

_I must find something as a trigger to regain the rest of my memories in the short time, before all the negativities consumes me inside out..._

_Before I fall._

* * *

This was the last entry of Hatsuyuki's journal, exactly three months ago when she started to show strange behaviors...

"_This time. Only this once I have to face the outcome without you guy, I promise, no more secrets after this, I'll tell you everything you want to know, but not now,"_

Soma exhaled and pushes his bangs backwards in frustrations.

No, this is who she is for the past eight months. It's just that they failed to see it. They are too blinded by what they could see by eyes, and only believes in what they can see by eyes.

Fallen deities. This explains it all.

All those weird word terms, inhuman reflexes, weird creatures they called shikigami, the white ribbon Hatsuyuki left behind with strange ability...

That girl he waited for six years is a living deity in mortal flesh.

"Unexpectedly, you accepted the truth much better than I thought you would by reading a journal," a voice lurks in Soma's room, "Just like in the past."

Soma jolted in surprise and glared towards the couches.

"You!" Soma growled, "I always knew there's something weird about you! Where were you?" he snapped at the black wolf who laid leisurely on one of his couch.

"Really?" The wolf narrowed his ocean blue eyes that are almost identical to Soma's sapphire ones as the latter continue to snap," I never said anything doesn't mean that I'm a retard. The way you always look at Hatsuyuki was definitely not the way an animal would look at their mistress!"

"Humph," the black wolf scoffed," But you are way too slow this time compare to past." he muttered.

"What past?" Soma frowned. He has too many truths to be digested from a single journal, so no way in hell he will need another bomb to be drop on him right now.

"Nothing, forget what I just muttered," the black wolf stood on his paws and leaps off from the couch, "Come on." He said as he paced towards the door.

"Where the hell are you going when your mistress is being locked up?" Soma darts to the door are blocked the wolf's way.

"Pfft!" shorted the wolf with amusement, "Please, don't make me laugh," He exclaimed as he nudges Soma out of the way, "You can't be seriously been thinking that a pile of enhanced steels could subdue a awaken deity."

"Enough talking and grab go get your God Arc, we are leaving right now." Said the black wolf as he turns the doorknob by using his front paws to open the door.

"Where the hell are we going?" Soma quickly asks before the wolf was out of sight while wrapping Hatsuyuki's journal and his old jacket back into the black fabric.

"Hatsuyuki is now buying us time to gather up the possible infected people in the Den." The wolf stopped and spoke before disappearing completely out of sight, "Go search for the people who suddenly became vicious or behave like zombies, and meet up at the helipad outside the Den. Sakaki and Kanon are already in standby, they'll give you a brief explanation once you are done."

"Wha-?"

As soon as the wolf was out of sight, Soma was interjected by a loud gunshot echoed a floor below him.

It comes from the Rookie Section.

"Damn it! "Soma dashed into the elevator and literally bashed on the button as though it'll help the elevator to move faster.

Once the door of the elevator finally opens, showing the corridors of the Rookie Section, he was immediately greeted by a shocking sight.

"Gina!" Karel shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Yea, very longer chapter I know.**

**It was basically about how Hatsuyuki felt after waking up one day in the middle of nowhere, all tattered and bloody with no memory about anything at all.**

**Next was her point of view as she witness the world is dying painfully, but still have faith in gods while the rest of the human refuse to believe.**

**Later on it was about her stay in the Outer Ghetto and the reason she imposed as Aurora to join Fenrir.**

**Lastly, it was about how she felt about being a God Eater for the past eight months and the reason behind her weird behavior.**

**So, I have really put a lot of effort in typing this chapter while I have to rush mountains of endless assignments. **

**Reviews and impressions about this chapter from reader will really really means a lot to me. :)**

**Replies for previous reviews:**

**Jhellou: They are being mean and inconsiderate indeed, because it is human's nature to immediately jump into conclusions without giving a damn to look into a bigger picture. But don't worry though; Hatsuyuki is not a total pushover, she will make a rather spunky come back soon ;)**

** : Thank you for looking forward for this chapter! I'll try to update new chapter as fast as I can when I'm able to. As for the character reference, I'm sorry that I couldn't find one now, but I'll post the links of the pictures in my profile as soon as I found suitable ones :D**

**WAiMUN: Thank you for your support as per usual! And yea, it might take me another month to finish the next chapter :( I know you know how I feel, as we both are currently being suffocate by almost same assignments… OTL**


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